Being born in Laos, becoming a refugee and coming to the United States leads woman to a new life in Jesus Christ.

Leaving the war-torn country of Laos as a child and coming to South Dakota as a refugee began a new life for Pang Kou Kue. Her parents, Mee and Herr Vang, were Christians who brought her to this country and gave her strength to grow up in the United States.

Born in the small village of Long Cheng, Laos, Pang Kou has fond memories of her early years.           

Her grandfather was a shaman (a spiritual magician like a witch doctor). But he attended a Christian and Missionary Alliance missionary meeting that changed his life to Jesus Christ. He did not practice magic again and the rest of the family became Christians through his transformation. Pang Kou’s father, Herr Vang, was a middle school and high school teacher.

When the Vietnam War broke out in 1975, the family left Laos for safety reasons and headed for Thailand. They went back and forth between the two places several times as Pang Kou’s dad worked as a secret agent for the CIA. He also was a soldier for General Vang Pao and the communists were searching for his troops.

Pang Kou’s dad took the family and left once more to escape. They walked and walked and were told not to speak the Hmong language. She said a truck picked them up, but some communist soldiers stopped them later. Herr Vang gave them a fake name so they would not know they were Hmong people.

“Mom prayed a lot through this. God answered her prayers, and we made it to the capital of Laos (Van Chan),” Pang Kou said.

The family decided to work their way across the Mekong River by boat to a refuge camp in Thailand. Mee Vang paid the boat people and the Thai people who met them by giving them her silver and gold jewelry.

They were treated kindly at the camp and were given a space for their family with food and equipment for cooking and

sleeping. The children were taught Bible stories and Bible songs, which Pang Kou enjoyed.

After about five months, they were given an interview to come to the United States. They had a sponsor from Lutheran Social Services and were put on a waiting list, as they were refugees from the war.

“Everyone had struggled so much. When our names were called, it was like God calling us to a better place. Like being called to Heaven,” Pang Kou said. “I was 8 years old.”

They were flown to Rapid City, S.D., and were met by people from a Lutheran Church who took them to an apartment. A Laotian family helped interpret for them.

“The apartment was full of clothes, food and furniture along with a television set,” Pang Kou said. “I asked Mom, ‘Are these ours? Can we touch them?’ In the morning, Dad called our sponsor and they said it was all for our family. It was amazing. It was the first time I ate an apple, eggs and real food. It tasted so much better than the food we were used to eating.”

The next day the children were taken to school. It was very scary for Pang Kou.

“Mom made us rice for lunch. We didn’t know if we should eat it as the other kids’ food was very different. The kids and teachers were very good to us. They loved to teach us,” Pang Kou said. “I knew one song. I would sing it and the kids would clap and ask me to sing it over and over again.”

After being in Rapid City for a year, they moved to Sioux Falls, S.D., and lived with their uncle. There were 11 kids and four adults living together.

“We attended the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church. David Quam was the pastor. I was baptized at age 13 at this church,” Pang Kou said. “I was baptized because my Dad asked me to do it. But, I did not have a personal relationship with Christ.”

Right after Pang Kou graduated from high school, she married Bee Kue on August 17, 1985.

“I met Bee on the phone through a cousin who knew him. He came and visited and proposed to my parents. They said, ‘Sure. She’s yours.’ Wow. No explanation. Just you will be married next week,” Pang Kou said.

A friend, Martha Quam, helped Pang Kou get invitations sent and a wedding dress made. She was married to Bee Kue at Prairie Hills Covenant Church in Sioux Falls.    

The first year they lived in Michigan where their first child, Ben, was born. But life was difficult. Work was hard to find, so they moved back to Sioux Falls. Bee started working at John Morrell & Co., a meat packing plant. They lived with her parents, and Brandon, their second child was born.

Bee brought his parents to Sioux Falls from Michigan to help care for the kids so Pang Kou could begin working.

“Communication for Bee and myself was very hard. We had no focus of religious life. Everything was nagging, sharp. Very hard,” Pang Kou said. “At this point, I had a third child, Jacob. He lived only one and one-half months. He died of crib death. It was a very difficult time. Bee blamed me for the child’s death, because I had gone to work.”

At this point, Pang Kou said she  tried to commit suicide.

“Life just didn’t mean anything to me any more,” she said.

Pang Kou took an overdose of Excedrin pills. It didn’t work. She felt like a person being torn between two sides of people. She began listening to the Christian radio station KNWC 96.5 FM. She was filling her mind with positive Christian thoughts and music.

“I knew that God was my only hope.”

She had another child, Brent, and the family moved back to Michigan, but again it didn’t work. Bee gave up. He talked to her dad and asked for forgiveness. Bryan was born and they moved back to Sioux Falls.

Things changed slowly. Faith in God started coming a little at a time.

Then Tim was born, and later a  daughter, Roselee.

“She was an answer to my prayers for a daughter,” Pang Kou said. “We had a second daughter. Naomi. Thank you, God, for my two daughters.

“I have all these kids. I did not have God. God is the way to show me how to live, even though I struggle,” Pang Kou said.

“I lost my Dad. My Mom had cancer. I don’t know why. I am tested for my faith. But, we are still together. Love and family are strong.

“I know who Christ is. He died for me. I have so much sin. Christ is the answer to all the past. He will hold my hand. God is the way.

“We will be with Him as our reward someday.”