Hilliar Beloc Naturalization Ceremony

This story inspires me. I was born in a United Nations refugee camp in Hannover, Germany. Our family emigrated to the United States in 1949 when I was almost two years old. When I was in second grade I became naturalized. Here is a report from Scott Moss in Fort Wayne, Indiana about the naturalization of Hilliar Beloc, his wife Hti Mu and others on June 10th...

The November 9, 2005 update is an article that appeared in the Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette about the Burmese who have emigrated to the United States. While the article is from the July 7, 2005 edition of the newspaper, it is still a fascinating story about the Burmese community that settled in the Ft. Wayne, Indiana area. Hti Mu Beloc is mentioned in the article.

LifeNets is organizing a relief effort to provide eye glasses to Burmese refugee camps in Thailand.

Victor and Bev,

Peggy and I had a wonderful time this morning in Fort Wayne attending the naturalization ceremony for Hilliar Belloc and family to become US citizens.

The proceedings began at 10 a.m. in full session of the US Federal District Court of Northeast Indiana. There were 45 citizens-to-be hailing from 19 nations spanning the globe. Four Belloc family members were among them: Hilliar, his wife Hti Mu, and their two children, Thay Saw and Daffodil. A color guard brought in the US flag, and after some procedural matters a representative from the Daughters of the American Revolution read a greeting statement.

After the solemn confirmation of allegiance to the US constitution and the law of the land, two people made speeches: the presiding judge and her law clerk. The judge spoke about the freedoms and responsibilities of citizenship. Her law clerk, a recently naturalized attorney from Ukraine, gave an impassioned and heartwarming account of his journey toward the freedoms of this country. His stated wish was that today’s newly minted citizens would find as much success and happiness as he has in the past two years. He closed by requesting that they pass along to the next generation the welcoming spirit they have encountered as they sought and achieved citizenship.

Hilliar and Hti Mu came to this country in August of 1999 after spending time in a refugee camp along the Thai/Burmese border. They had originally made contact with the Church of God in the early 1980s and fondly remember Herman Hoeh, Aaron Dean, Leon Sexton and others. The couple now owns a home in Fort Wayne. Hilliar works at a Meier grocery store, Hti Mu does Burmese/English translation, Thay Saw works in a bakery and Daffodil is studying law enforcement at IPFW University in Fort Wayne. Daffodil and her husband Tin Aye have one son, Asian Wayne. Hilliar attends the United Church of God Fort Wayne.

Hilliar and his wife Hti Mu awaiting the naturalization ceremony in the Federal Building in Fort Wayne, Ind., Friday, June 10, 2005

A group of 45 citizens-to-be taking the affirmation of citizenship in Fort Wayne, Ind., Friday, June 10, 2005.

A close-up photo of the engraved picture frame given the Bellocs by the congregation of United Church of God Fort Wayne.

Hilliar, Hti Mu, Daffodil and Thay Saw signing the final certificates of US citizenship.

After the naturalization ceremony Hilliar treated his family and friends to a celebratory lunch at a Fort Wayne restaurant. From left are son Thay Saw, Daffodil, Tin Aye and Asian Wayne, Hti Mu, Hilliar, Peggy and Scott Moss, and Lowell Elzey.

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