[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 66 (Thursday, April 28, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IN TRIBUTE TO REVEREND TONGBER S. VANG

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 28, 2016

  Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to Reverend Tongber S. Vang 
who passed away on February 21, 2016 at the age of 51. Tongber S. Vang 
was born in Sanau, Laos and was the eldest of 7 children. Tongber Vang 
immigrated to the United States at the age of 12, after living in 
refugee camps of Thailand with his family for a number of years. He 
lived first in Little Rock, Arkansas and eventually moved to Milwaukee 
and lived with his grandmother, Mao Xiong. He graduated from 
Milwaukee's West Division High School and attended Milwaukee Area 
Technical College with the intention of following a career in 
dentistry.
  Tongber met Pa at Hmong New Year Celebration; he knew immediately she 
was the woman he would marry. He was touched by Pa's Christian faith 
and she encouraged his growth with Christ that led him to the ministry. 
On July 4, 1986, Tongber and Pa were married, and immersed themselves 
in the ministry, teaching Sunday school for children at Northwest 
Baptist Church. After Pa graduated from high school in 1988, they both 
attended and graduated from Hannibal-LaGrange College in Hannibal, 
Missouri. After graduation, Tongber and Pa moved to Louisville, KY 
where they both attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. They 
studied during the week but their weekends included a 6-hour commute to 
and from Lansing, MI to perform church outreach to the Hmong community 
and coordinate a children's Sunday school ministry.
  Pastor Tongber moved his family back to Milwaukee in 1997 and 
accepted a position working for AmeriCorps, Vista Program at the 
Milwaukee Public Schools. He engaged Hmong parents and students at both 
South Division and Washington High Schools. In the fall of 1997, Pastor 
Tongber made the decision to accept the offer to pastor his home 
church, the Hmong First Baptist Church.
  Pastor Tongber led his congregation with incredible grace, love, and 
passion for the word of God. However, his deepest passion was caring 
and praying with and over members of the church. He led a successful 
capital campaign which resulted in the construction of the current 
church building. The church was his second family; he believed with 
true conviction that if families were okay, the church would be okay, 
as would the community and the world. Pastor Tongber devoted countless 
hours to support church ministries and ensuring goals were met. In 
2010, he led a mission trip to Nan, Thailand.
  Pastor Tongber is survived by his beloved wife Pa, their three 
wonderful sons--Solomon, Josiah, and Joseph, a loving daughter-in-law--
Joann, and a cheerful 13-month-old granddaughter Charity Siabzoo, and a 
yet-to-be-born granddaughter named Genessa Hnub Tshiab.
  While Pastor Tongber's time on earth was short, guided fully by his 
faith in God, he served his family, church and his community 
selflessly. I was proud to call him a friend and was inspired by his 
good works. Mr. Speaker, this is why I rise to pay tribute to Tongber 
S. Vang, a true asset to the 4th Congressional District.

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