Refugee Narratives: Ten Stories of Cambodian Refugees

The Congregational Archive of the Sisters of the Holy Cross

The sisters have meticulously collected, organized, and preserved documents and artifacts  pertaining to their work in each of these conflict zones, and these items can now be accessed at the Congregational Archive of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, located in Bertrand Hall on the Saint Mary’s College campus in Notre Dame, IN. This rich collection includes many other artifacts relating to the history of the Sisters of the Holy Cross and their ministries dating back to 1843.

One of the treasures housed within these archives is a journal given to Sister Paula Goettelmann by several refugees whom she assisted at the Khao-I-Dang refugee camp. The pages of the journal are filled with personal histories and testimonials of ten Cambodian refugees who lived through Pol Pot’s regime under the Khmer Rouge. Our digital exhibit project edits this journal so that  these refugees’ personal narratives can be accessed by a broader public, in the hopes that such narratives might encourage readers today to learn more about the Cambodian refugee crisis and to seek out information on current refugee crises that are still ongoing. We also intend to highlight the work of the Sisters of the Holy Cross in this conflict zone, as their willingness to help those in need, regardless of where they are located around the world, offers a profound example of how we can live lives of compassion and service that seek to alleviate the suffering of others.

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