Reports on a series of in-depth interviews with a small group of Congolese refugees as they anticipated and experienced reunification with family members in Montreal, Canada. Study participants were 12 families, all of whom had obtained refugee status. For the Congolese, the family is the most highly invested form of social organization, and separation leads to feelings of powerlessness. At the same time, the experience of loss and longing can help families plan for reunification and reestablish continuity of the family. Some families make the repeated pre-migration and immigration experiences of loss and separation, with its perpetual ups and downs, the main aspect of continuity in their lives; that is, these shared experiences become the foundation for rebuilding continuity. In addition, the concept of ambiguous loss, whereby absent family members are present in the memories and concerns of the family, contributes to the illusion of continuity in a family, another source of strength that a family can draw upon in adjusting to a new society. The best place for counseling, therefore, is either the home or community organization providing services to refugees, both of which may serve as stepping stones between the home land and the host country.
