They are not related by birth but by the bond of living through violence and upheaval. Ten refugees -- nine men from Sudan and one woman, who is married to a refugee -- have been settled in the South Hills during the early part of the summer under the auspices of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Refugee Services Program.

All are victims of political, religious or social persecution. Nine are in the Castle Shannon area and one is in Whitehall.

They gathered after sundown on Sunday to break their fast during Ramadan at the home of Mt. Lebanon resident David Rosenberg, coordinator for the Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition, who said he became interested in the plight of Darfur by watching the news.

The gathering preceded a Monday press conference held by the Pittsburgh coalition to ask the G-20 countries to withhold debt relief to Sudan until the government rectifies the situation with the people of Darfur, located in western Sudan and populated mainly by Africans. The Sudan was ravaged for 22 years as Sudan's Muslim North and predominately Christian South waged war. A peace agreement signed in 2005 calls for a vote in 2011, which would grant the south its independence.

The violence in Darfur broke out in 2003 when the rebels accused the government of oppressing black Africans in favor of Arabs. The government and allied militia responded and the destruction of more than 3,000 villages and displacement of 2.7 million people ensued.

Here are two of their stories.

Ismail Omar Ismail, 52, fled Darfur in 1989 during the war between north and south Sudan and went to Baghdad. Four years ago he said he was placed in a camp outside of Baghdad because of the Iraq war. He chose the camp over returning to Darfur because "returning to Dafur was worse than going to the camp.''

Remembering the conditions in the camp, he described the unbearable heat and dust storms. From 2003 on, he had no contact with his family. Then the U.S. Army and United Nations got him out of the country and into Romania, where he remained for five months until relocated here.

He shares the one-bedroom apartment with three refugees. Catholic Charities supports the refugees while helping them become self-sufficient.

He said there is no comparison to the life he knew before.

"There is no war, no guns, people are happy. It is far better than Darfur and Romania. In Darfur it was hell on earth, being attacked on a daily basis by armed raiders supported by the government. As we speak, people are dying,'' he said.

He suffered the loss of two brothers, a cousin and his father.

He's eager to learn English and find work, although back surgery has limited his options and the job climate is not good either.

Abdullah Sulieman, 42, left Darfur in 1987, when his parents -- fearing for his life -- sent him away. Along with 19 others, he secretly made his way to Iraq.

"If the authorities knew, the consequences would be severe," he recalled.

He hopes to get an education and to work to help his brothers and mother still in Darfur. He is working for a local hotel.

In order to acclimate to their new home, Catholic Charities provides basic necessities -- food, housing, basic furnishings, clothing, access to health care, the opportunity to learn English, employment counseling and mentoring.

"We provide intensive case management for up to five years after arrival," said Clare Kushma, director of marketing.

Many of those helped by Catholic Charities want to give back in thanks for the new opportunity in a new land. Mr. Ismail was suffering with a ruptured disc in his back when he arrived in the United States and needed surgery.

"He was so grateful for the opportunity to be relieved of the pain he came back to the Refugee Services Department with tears in his eyes and thanked us, hugging everyone. Now he wants to give back by helping new refugees coming in," Ms. Kushma said.

Since 1975 the Diocese of Pittsburgh has been involved in resettling refugees. It works with the United Nations and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.