by Katie Patrick, executive director,
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
Last Tuesday, I received a phone call from a young man who came as a refugee from Afghanistan in 2000, when he was just 5 years old. Catholic Social Services had resettled his family then, and he had questions regarding the process of how they were admitted and resettled in the Lincoln community.
I asked a few more questions about his family, and as he listed the names of his siblings and his mother, I immediately recognized who I was speaking to.
Back when I was a sophomore at Pius X High School, my parents and I, along with several St. Joseph parishioners, welcomed a recently widowed mother and her five children. Catholic Social Services had provided us a list of items they needed and we helped set up their apartment. I stayed connected to the family for a few years, at first teaching the mother basic English and eventually interviewing her for a college paper. I often refer to this family as my reason for pursuing a career in diplomacy and international relations, and bringing me to where I am today at CSS.
Once I made the connection of who this young man was, our conversation suddenly turned from an informative one to a reunion. I asked him if he remembered the bunk beds at their apartment on ‘T’ Street. Since he was so young at the time, I wasn’t sure he would, but he did. He even remembered my dad putting them together.
It was around Halloween time when he and his family arrived and I recall how my mom was concerned that the family was receiving only donations of bakery cakes and candy. She tried communicating with his mom about the risk of eating too much sugar, but as he told me, their mom had no objections to them enjoying as much pop and candy as they wanted. Having survived the war in Afghanistan, all she wanted was for her children to be happy, even if it meant being a little spoiled with American candy.
He shared with me that he and his wife now live next door to his brother, and that their children play together all the time. His mom has learned conversational English and they also have a family business, The Corner Kitchen, a food truck that features Afghan cuisine. Be sure to check their Facebook page to find out when and where you can enjoy some bolani and chapli kababs!
As we returned to his initial questions, I was able to share with him the general path of refugee resettlement and how his family most likely ended up in Lincoln, Nebraska. This brought us to his last question – how can he help his extended family currently trapped in Kabul?
While there would normally be resources available to assist refugees and others seeking to flee, many of them are suspended or too treacherous under the current circumstances. The danger and uncertainty that many Afghan families are facing, and will face in the coming days, weeks, months, and perhaps years are unthinkable.
In our communities, our churches, and in our homes, what I encourage all of us to do is pray. Pray for the safety of the Afghan people and their country. Secondly, if you are interested in volunteering with us, please complete our online volunteer application and we will be in touch.
Lastly, monetary donations make a significant impact because it allows us to assist the families with rent, utilities, transportation, food, and much more. Thank you for all of your support. May God bless you!
