I’ve spent the morning documenting and verifying the former employment of several Afghan civilians who worked for our partner in Afghanistan. These aren’t just names on paperwork to me; these are people I had the privilege of meeting on my three trips to Afghanistan. Their commitment to economic development and investing in the future of their country put them at risk. They are Afghans who prioritized the call to love their neighbors. Afghans who elevated and empowered women through job creation and sustainable employment.
Each time I left Afghanistan, my heart was heavy over how many challenges remained. And today, my heart is heavy again. Like many, I’ve watched the Taliban’s advance unfold across the news. I’ve seen the videos of desperate throngs at the airport seeking refuge. I’ve seen photos of abandoned cars littering roadways, knowing that each one represents a home and a life.
I’ve prayed, and I’ve felt powerless. I imagine many have.
Now as I’m seeing photos of the first Afghans arriving in the U.S., I’m recalling the warm welcome I received when I visited Kabul more than a decade ago. I remember how I, too, arrived with no bags (mine were lost in transit, not abandoned in desperation). I remember how conspicuous I felt, my attire and appearance standing out at the Kabul airport. I’m replaying how the airport glass shook as workers nearby conducted a de-mining operation, safely detonating unexploded bombs. I remember how I was the only one who seemed to find it unusual—or terrifying. Now I imagine the terror of Afghans fleeing their homes, not knowing what kind of reception awaits them here.
And so I am committed to finding ways to welcome them. As warmly as possible. Collectively, let’s embrace and rally around them in the same way we might approach a community member who has just lost everything in a fire. Let’s meet their physical needs, which will be both immediate and ongoing. Let’s help them find jobs, community, and their footing. We can offer rides to appointments and help them navigate paperwork and bureaucracies almost incomprehensible to those of us born and raised here. Let’s walk with them as they unpack the loss and trauma that brought them to this point. Let’s pray for and—for those who are open to it—with them.
You may have felt helpless watching the news last week, but you don’t have to feel helpless now. For many of us, Afghans are coming to our neighborhoods. And here’s something you know how to do: Be a wonderful, kind, generous, and welcoming neighbor.
For those who want to support the efforts currently underway, we are so impressed by the work of Church World Service, The International Assistance Mission, and World Relief and the teams that are implementing it. We are confident these friends would wisely steward your generosity.
