MEET OUR FAMILIES

Hel Family  

Taw Naw Hel and Lway Lway have been residents of Amarillo for over seven years. The family is originally from Thailand where they lived in the Mae La refugee camp for sixteen years due to the war going on in Burma. The family describes their life in a refugee camp as unclean. They dealt with illness, dirty water,

a leaking home and extremely small rations of food, including oil and beans every thirty days and rice every fifteen days.

The family of 5 lived in a one-room home made of bamboo and leaves. The Hel’s dreamed of joining their family in America and after an eight-month wait, the family succeeding in achieving their goal.

Taw Naw Hel has been employed by Tyson for seven years while his wife stayed home to raise their children. Their daughter Lah Say has followed in her father’s footsteps and is employed with Tyson. Their second daughter, Lah Paw is attending Amarillo College with hopes of becoming a Registered Nurse and their son Hel Ler is currently a senior at Palo Duro High School.

The family has been working toward their goal of homeownership with Amarillo Habitat for Humanity since December 2016 and will soon purchase a three bedroom two bath home in Amarillo.