January 2, 2007
Source: The Buddhist Channel/The Journal Gazette
http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=62,3590,0,0,1,0
Fort Wayne, IN (USA) -- Fort Wayne has always embraced immigrants -- from Germans more than a century ago to the influx of Burmese in the past 10 years.
The Mons, a minority group in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, chose Fort Wayne for the high-paying factory jobs and low cost of living.
Large numbers of Burmese started coming after the 1998 pro-democracy uprisings in their homeland. There are now between 2,000 and 3,000 Burmese and more than 500 Mons in Fort Wayne.
The Burmese also brought their Buddhist philosophy to the community.
Within the past 12 years, six Buddhist temples have entered Fort Wayne’s network of worship.