Afghan Refugee Ministry Summer Update
by Hilary Files
When a few WHPC members volunteered to furnish an apartment for an incoming Afghan refugee family in October 2021, nobody could have imagined where it would lead. God’s plans for WHPC’s involvement were bigger than we could have imagined. What started with outfitting an apartment for one family has now grown to walking alongside five families totaling 43 people (including four brand new US citizens)!
These families originated from rural mountainous towns near Jalalabad, where the fathers served in the Afghan army, helping the US troops fight the Taliban. When the Taliban took over in August 2021, they took various circuitous routes through Qatar, Bahrain, Germany, Virginia, and New Mexico, eventually ending up in Austin months later.
In addition to helping outfit apartments, the growing Afghan Ministry Team assists with many aspects of daily life and support. Our goal is to partner with these families, as they grow toward independence and eventual citizenship. What a wonderful opportunity we have to provide a leg up to some of our newest fellow Austinites as they navigate a whole new culture and provide for their families!
Over 100 WHPC members, friends, seminary students, and Muslim partners have jumped in with full hearts.
Some of the areas the Afghan Ministry Team is providing support are
Tutoring in English, math, reading, timekeeping/calendar, and money for all ages in their apartments.
Leading a separate men’s group to support their specific needs in education and life lessons.
Hiring two translators to facilitate comprehension in all aspects of families’ lives. We love and support them as integral members of our team.
Filing for necessary official documents and nutritional and medical aid programs.
Registering the children for school and summer school.
Finding job opportunities for the fathers and two older sons. The men and one son now have jobs as security guards, hospital sanitation, hotel cleaning, and HEB stockers.
Identifying, brainstorming, and advising on housing options and budgeting, and helping managing apartment maintenance issues.
Scheduling and attending medical and dental appointments and participating in ER visits for all 43 family members, including pregnant moms, newborn babies, and both serious and routine health issues.
Offering transportation as needed.
Providing needed items like baby formula, diapers, furniture, and clothing.
Providing “fun” items like trips to the cloth store to buy sewing materials, beads and embroidery floss for young artists, purse shopping, a Valentine-making party, a baby shower, and popsicles in the heat of summer.
Last fall when I heard this work was beginning, I felt a little tug. A few months later, I finally reached out to ask how I could get involved. I was invited to join some experienced tutors one Sunday after church. We carpooled over to the Presbyterian Seminary, where one of the families lives. Two children who saw us approaching their apartment excitedly collected all 13 family members. They gathered on the carpeted living room floor holding notebooks and pencils.
The rest is history! There is something wildly exciting about sharing our language and culture and feeling the empowerment we are building together. Mothers who have never held a pencil are now carefully writing their own names and practicing the alphabet and numbers, in addition to baking fresh bread and stews daily. The children are learning quickly, aided by attending local schools. The fathers are caring for their families during the day and working long hours at night, earning dignified incomes to support their families. Working with these families becomes even more meaningful as we develop mutual trust and share laughter, tears, delicious home-cooked Afghan food, and video chats with relatives back home.
For those who may feel a little tug, may this be a nudge of encouragement to reach out and get involved! Men, women, and teenagers are serving in this ministry in many capacities. Many of the situations we are facing require creative problem solving, but we know that all things are possible with God (Mark 10:27). We are excited to see what God has in store for the Afghan Refugee Ministry as it continues to develop.
If you would like to join us, contact a pastor or any of the Afghan Refugee Team leads - Patty Praytor, Martha King, Becky Dickson, Carol Beckley, Vicki Gabriel, and Hilary Files.
