Need Volunteers, Stuff and especially PRAYERS
Jean Arnott
Women of Faith and Friends,
Welcome to those of you who are new to this email list 😊
Thank you for your continued support. It makes all the difference to know that you are there and responding!
Here is our updated list of current needs (some repeats and some new). And a short synopsis of the conditions of three of our families who we know and love who have one or more of their family members in Afghanistan right now and facing extreme danger. And a fourth family who would be here except for the negligence of an American Company who is not doing its part to keep the promise that the U.S. has made to our Afghan allies. Seeking sincere prayers on behalf of these families and the many others who are suffering.
Need volunteers:
1. with trucks who would be willing to be on a list that we could call when we have the need to pick up donations. Fortunately, most of those who have large items to donate can bring them to us (which at least doubles their value😉)! Sometimes we need to pick them up. It would be great to have three or four on the list so that chances are good that the timing will work for someone. I need someone right now to pick up donations in Grand Terrace – at your convenience. Please call if you can.
2. to prepare vacuum cleaners for gifting: checking out, cleaning filters, replacing belts, shining, etc.
3. to service sewing machines and prepare for gifting
4. to service lap top computers and prepare for gifting
5. We now have a bike repair guy who already has two bikes ready to go! Thanks, Jeff Cierley! Wouldn’t hurt to have a second volunteer to share the load.
Most needed items:
1. Nice pots and pans (they need not be new or a set, but in very nice condition).
2. Children’s size toothbrushes
3. Mixing bowls – assorted sizes (new or in very nice condition)
There are several church and other groups having donation drives to collect a variety of items in preparation for the expected ten-fold increase in refugee families arriving by late fall. Thank you! If you are part of a group that might be interested in conducting a drive, let me know. I can provide a list of what we are most in need of and you can choose according to your participants' interests. We also appreciate donations (in-kind or monetary) from individuals; just check first to see what we’re in need of. Upon request, we are happy to provide you with a tax receipt.
Need prayers for members of our families who are in Afghanistan and having great trouble getting out:
#1: F and N and their two little ones are stuck in Kabul which is a sure sentence for execution due to Farid’s past association supporting the U.S. military. Farid was employed for five years by an American company contracted with the U.S. military. This qualifies him to apply for a Special Immigrant Visa and come to the U.S. However, his supervisor who provided the required letter of recommendation which is the first step in applying for an SIV, has failed to respond to the U.S. Embassy’s follow up inquiries and so his application has been denied. The company has completed their contract and left Kabul. Our repeated attempts to contact the company here in the U.S. have gone unanswered. We're working with No One Left Behind and Congressman Obernolte’s office who are both dedicated to helping. Please pray that individuals within this company will feel compelled to help the U.S. keep its promise and give this man and his family a chance to live.
# 2: M and her 4 young children went back to Afghanistan a few months ago to visit family they haven’t seen in four years since their arrival. They have been unable to return to their husband and father here in the U.S. due to repeated canceling of flights from where they are located to Kabul. M’s father has relocated them several times. They escaped from her parents’ home village just hours before the Taliban entered and took control. Family members fought valiantly with other locals (no back-up provided by any military) to protect another district they escaped to and lost after a week of fighting, including the life of an extended family member. They have just completed a very dangerous 8-hour road trip over Taliban controlled roads complete with checkpoints and strewn with burning tanks and vehicles, and bodies. What the children have been forced to witness is horrifying. It was a miracle that they made it. The youngest two children have U.S. passports and all the children (except the infant) speak fluent English, which would have been a sure give-away and meant certain death if they had been stopped by the Taliban. Today they are scheduled once again to fly to Kabul and then back to the U.S. in about two weeks. Please pray that this time, the flight is not cancelled. And for their physical safety, as well as for their emotional well-being during this horrifying experience.
#3: S, a father of 8, returned to Afghanistan to help get three more family members of the country. He also faces the cancellation of flights from smaller airports within the country and the realization that he must make a road trip of over 300 miles to Kabul. It is extremely dangerous and having been an interpreter for U.S. Special Forces for 12 years adds him to the Taliban’s list of targets to hunt down. The Taliban has – for the past week – been going door to door looking for those ‘trouble-makers’ who support the U.S. military and executing them on the spot. They sometimes include family members. Please pray for S’s safety and for clarity as he chooses the strategy for himself and three family members.
#4: S, a father of 2 young children, returned to Afghanistan a number of weeks ago to act in his role as son to take care of arrangements at his mother’s death. We are assuming he is in similar circumstances as the others though we have not heard from him. Please pray that he can return to his waiting wife and children.