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Showing Hospitality to Strangers: Texas Churches Welcome Afghan Refugees
by Heather Sells, CBN News
As many as 50,000 Afghan refugees will soon be re-settling in US communities, most fleeing right after the Taliban takeover of their country in August. The regime change happened at breakneck speed, forcing many, like former US Army interpreter “Zaheer” and his family, to flee with little more than a small bundle of personal items.
Shelby County welcomes Afghan refugees
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Over 30 refugees from Afghanistan were welcomed by Shelby County today.
Many of them helped Americans who were once in their country and now the county is doing what they can to make them comfortable after they have fled violence and oppression in Afghanistan.
Today, Mayor Lee Harris and county commissioners welcomed Basir Akrami and other refugees. They were presented with a welcome bag filled with Memphis related items from local restaurants, the Grizzlies and a $100 gift card to Kroger.
“They are great people. They give us an opportunity to live in this great place,” Akrami said.
He said his first impression of Memphis has been wonderful.
This story originally aired on WREG Channel 3. Read the full story here.
Afghan refugees welcomed to Memphis by Shelby County officials
Basir Akrami had only been in the United States for five days when he stood outside World Relief’s office in Memphis and was greeted by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, County Commission Chairman Willie Brooks Jr. and Commissioner Mark Billingsley.
“As a Shelby County Commissioner and a native of Memphis, Basir, we want to welcome you to Memphis,” Billingsley told Akrami. “We want to welcome your family. We hope that you make a wonderful home here in Shelby County. With the help of World Relief, we’re going to be helping more families like this here.”
A refugee from Afghanistan, Akrami worked as an interpreter and security guard for the U.S. embassy in Kabul before being forced to flee the country with his wife and two daughters.Â
This story was originally published in the Commercial Appeal. To read the full story, please click here.
Triad agencies say they’ll help Afghan arrivals.
World Relief Triad’s office director speaks on behalf of nonprofit in response to Afghan crisis.
As the U.S. prepare to welcome Afghan evacuees, World Relief Triad is one of the many agencies listed as an agency welcoming to Afghan parolees. There is no clear number from Governor Cooper’s office, but agencies are preparing. Additionally, there is an expected 150 people to resettle in Greensboro and Winston-Salem.
Rob Cassell, Office Executive Director, speaks on behalf of office concerning the situation.
“This isn’t going to be a massive flow of people in the next few weeks,” says Cassell. “This is going to be people entering into our community over the next few months. So the need isn’t just going to be over the next few weeks.”
To learn more, watch this piece at WFMY News 2.
Welcome Afghans Event
Toba’s idea was simple: give hot meals to Afghan families. “They say the smallest act of kindness can make the biggest difference.”
Toba Adina, an Afghan refugee and World Relief Sacramento volunteer, felt compelled to help Afghan families build relationships with Sacramento neighbors. So, she decided to plan a Welcome Afghans event with the help of local organizations and Afghan businesses.
World Relief Sacramento partnered with River City Christian, Capital Community Athletics, Zainab at Fresh Mediterranean, Ariana Afghan Market, DJ Ahmed, Loomis Basin Charter School, and CalFire to provide free local Afghan meals (halal) and activities for new friends to enjoy together. Teens and adults of all ages and cultures played volleyball and soccer in the park, and a bounce house was set up for youth. CalFire also brought firetrucks and spoke to families about work in their communities.
Here we are today: an example of community, support, teamwork, kindness and passion to serve and help others,” Toba said. The Welcome Afghans event was more than just the hot meals Toba planned – Afghan and Sacramento families began building the foundation for lifelong friendships.
Here are four ways you can help Afghan families arriving to the United States:
Host Homes: Become a temporary host home for newly arrived families waiting to transition to more permanent housing. Apply >>
Economic Empowerment Kits: Give items that will support refugees to be successful in finding employment. Our Amazon wish list >>
Groceries: We’ve created a shopping list with the best options. This list follows religious guidelines to ensure there is culturally appropriate food for newly arrived refugee families. Download the grocery list >>
Giving: America is a place of welcome and that we are a people of welcome. When you give today, you join us in bringing hope, healing and restoration right here in Sacramento. Give >>
Died: Evelyn Mangham, Who Convinced Evangelicals to Welcome Refugees
Image: World Relief / edits by Rick Szuecs
by Daniel Silliman, Christianity Today
Churches weren’t always ready to help Evelyn Mangham. When she cold-called them in 1975 seeking sponsors for refugees from the Vietnam War, they often had other plans and other financial commitments.
But in call after call with Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA) churches, and then any congregation affiliated with the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), Mangham pushed, quoted Scripture, told stories about Vietnamese people from her 20 years as a missionary, and applied moral pressure.
Fixing Up Houses For Afghan Refugees
by Ben Schamisso, Newsy
A Chicago church restores its building to help refugees from Afghanistan resettle.
BSC and World Relief Durham offer training on refugee, immigrant ministry
The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSC) partnered with World Relief Durham yesterday (Sept. 23) to host an information session on serving immigrants and refugees. The session addressed assisting Afghan parolees and special immigrant visa holders resettling in North Carolina.
More than 30 pastors and church members from the Triangle area attended. Imago Dei Church in Raleigh hosted the event, according to a press release from World Relief.
Over the next six months, 1,169 Afghan refugees are projected to arrive in North Carolina, the News & Observer reported. World Relief Durham expects to resettle at least 80 refugees from Afghanistan in the next year, and about 300 from other countries. In addition to Raleigh and Durham, Charlotte, Asheville, Greensboro and New Bern will also welcome refugees.
Read the full article by Biblical Recorder & World Relief Staff at the Biblical Recorder here.
These Triangle agencies will resettle nearly half of the Afghan refugees coming to NC
DURHAM — Grocery gift cards, free legal help, winter clothing … and the list of needs keeps growing for a now estimated 500 Afghan refugees that one Durham refugee agency will be resettling in the next year.
Kokou Nayo, refugee community organizer for Church World Service Durham, says among the most important things people looking to help can contribute are financial donations and temporary housing.
Since the last week of July, the organization has helped 14 Afghan refugees, including a family of eight.
In its monthly newsletter, World Relief Durham, another agency, said it expects to resettle 380 refugees in the next year, with at least 80 of them from Afghanistan. …
Read the full article by Laura Brache at the News & Observer here.
Local organization getting ready to welcome 36 Afghan refugees to Memphis
This story was originally published on Fox13 on Sept. 21, 2021.
MEMPHIS, TENN. — Thousands of people are scrambling to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban took back control of the country.
The images coming out of the country show people desperately try to escape, in hopes of re-building a better life.
Some will soon call the Mid-South home.
Leaders with World Relief Memphis, a local resettlement organization, are getting ready to welcome 36 Afghan refugees to Memphis.
Some have already arrived.
“Memphis has a long history of showing hospitality,” PJ Moore, the executive director of World Relief Memphis said.
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