The Past few Months 2022#01



It has been a really great season on sharing our lives with some incredible survivors.  When the government of Afghanistan fell to the Taliban (Not really exactly what happened, but not my place to speak about that) there were thousands of men and women that had supported or work alongside our people that were at risk.  Thankfully, many of those who had served were able to seek refuge status and come to the U.S. A few hundred of those refugees along with their families, some not all, started being settled here in the Kansas City area.  Through a couple of connections we started serving some of the immediate needs. Taking our van to the hotel where they refugees were temporarily housed before permanent housing could be established. Some days were just a quick trip the local Wal-Mart others were runs to the health clinic for families too large to catch an Uber.

Pretty quickly there was a need to begin teaching the folks to drive, first with classes for Driver's Ed. Then with trips about to just talk through traffic laws and American driving situations.  Even with a few days spent learning our control lay-outs in various cars.  To say there was much to learn just does not cover reality of driving in the U.S. versus their homeland.


The more we got to know each of the families the needs would change and grow.  Some of the families were placed pretty quickly, some of them stayed in the hotel for quite a long time.  Eventually some of the men kept asking for a trip to the guitar shop.  This went on for about three weeks, with some of the support folks even collecting guitars for the folks.  One morning a gentleman brought us an actual address with the request to go to the guitar shop again. This time we looked it up to realize they wanted to go the Guitar Supermarket, which happens to be a Halal Arabic store in the North Kansas City area.  We began making regular trips to purchase food and supplies as the need arose.  Guess you can just say we can't listen or something got lost in translation.  Many of the folks didn't have good mobile phones so we also spent quite a bit of time getting phone plans started.  If you would like to get a cheap month to month cell phone and plan, we can help.


Many of the larger families have been settled very near our home. Which has been a huge joy to continue to serve and help with needs as they arise.  One of the volunteers found a program to help get internet in their homes and we have both been supporting those IT needs as well.  Driving instruction continues, driver's licenses have been acquired.  We have spent a few hour standing in the DMV with our new friends. We have and will continue to walk with these families.  It has been our joy to assist with learning to do life in the U.S. 


The only words we have learned are thank you, sorry, a typical greeting, and "Chimega".  "Chimega" is the phrase for, "say that again" as well as "What did that guy say?".  Learned quickly, that meant we needed to repeat or clarify what ever gibberish had just come out of our mouths. The hospitality these families extend while in their homes is astounding.  We Americans could and should learn so much from these amazing folks.

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