Kristen Welch

We are THAT Family

Thanksgiving is an Action Word, After All

by

While we’ve been roasting turkeys, welcoming family and mashing potatoes in preparation for tomorrow, many from Afghanistan have been granted refuge here in the United States–in total 95,000.

Remember when all eyes were glued to the news as Kabul fell and we watched in horror as the Taliban took over the last day of August? Remember how we prayed for mercy and miracles for the Afghani people, the believers left behind, the women and girls who might take the brunt of the evil claiming victory? Remember when we wanted to do something?

Remember with me.

It was only 84 days ago.

The 4 young Afghani men my husband picked up from the airport two nights ago remember it too well. They remember leaving their families behind and praying the target they carried on their backs for serving the USA would be enough to protect their wives, mothers and children they left behind –one a child himself, alone, only 15, all hoping leaving was enough to save them. They can’t stop remembering.

It’s been 84 days since cell towers were torn down, so while all they can do is remember, I have to scratch my head because I almost forgot. My worry and sorrow and prayers for Afghanistan faded with the days.

But here we are this week-the one where we stop and give thanks and fill our tables and bellies with our favorite food–and thousands of Afghanistans have arrived to the Houston area.

And all I can do is remember wanting to do something.

Hundreds of families were taken directly from the airports, like the ones my husband picked up on Monday, and dropped off at hotels because their arrival happened before a housing solution did. I could hear the lump in my husband’s voice when he recounted their painful stories and told me they hadn’t eaten in two days. They arrived to Houston without a dollar in their pockets after 84 days at a military base.

Resettlement agencies are completely overwhelmed. Providing groceries every 3-4 days for hundreds of families at hotels until a more permanent situation is available has created a logistical nightmare across the city this Thanksgiving week.

I didn’t know any of this when I almost casually reached out to the YMCA International contact, who was handing off refugees to my husband at the airport, to ask if the Amazon wish list I’d stumbled upon was accurate with the greatest current need. She said, “We are one of several resettlement agencies. We usually receive 4-5 families a month. Last week, we received 270. Nineteen more are arriving today. They need food delivered to them.” I could hear the urgency in her words. I asked if I could try to gather some drivers to pick up food at their warehouse to deliver groceries. “We are almost out of food at the warehouse,” she replied.

I thought of the turkey and ham and the refrigerator full of food and the likely food coma I would enjoy later in the week and I lost my appetite. I wanted to do something and now something is all I can do. It’s so ironic that during this week of gratitude–today–we are  all thinking about food. Refugees included.

I texted some people; asked the staff at Mercy House Global who would be in town to help me deliver food; sent some emails, called a couple of churches. I’ve scheduled grocery pickups around town. We are doing what we can–and it is not enough. It feels like two fish and a couple of loaves of bread. But it’s my favorite Bible story and I know what Jesus can do with what we offer.

And let’s not forget –God doesn’t need our lunch. He doesn’t need us to provide food or funds for people. He invites us to be a part of the miracle. Jim Rohn says, “Only by giving are you able to receive more than you have.”  Generosity and compassion do something spectacular in our souls.

My 14 year old offered to sort groceries and she stopped with an eggplant in hand and tried to find the words that were hard to form:

“Mom, I don’t understand why more people don’t want to help out refugees during Thanksgiving?” my teen daughter took a deep breath as she chose her words carefully… “Because while we will be stuffing our face full of food, some are wondering about their next meal.”
Because we have forgotten, honey. But God is helping us remember.
I pulled up the growing list of 25 drivers in the excel spreadsheet I was working on to show her the names of those who were remembering too–they volunteered to deliver food two days after Thanksgiving and many more were dropping off food. I told her of the people who don’t live nearby who were sending needed items and the more people who learn what’s going on, the longer the list grows.
I reminded her of the countless people who have given and given and given some more to refugees, Mercy House Global, churches, ministries–untold people, unspeakable gifts. I got teary recounting them…sometimes we just forget.
Thanksgiving is an action word after all.
Do you want to do something too? Please consider shopping this YMCA International Amazon List. These items are specifically for newly arrived refugees in hotels and temporary housing across Houston. If you’re local, we could use your help.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. I’m thankful you brought this to our attention. we we’re blessed to be able to purchase a bed for these amazing refugees. Please keep us posted on the ongoing needs.

    Reply

  4. WOW! That puts in in a real perspective, We helped at the community Thanksgiving meal, but honestly, i doubt if any had missed more than a meal in the past month! I will definitely look at the link. We helped Vietnamese refugees about 40 years ago, and found it rewarding beyond anything we could have imagined. Thanks for bringing this to light!

    Reply

  11. Chashni is an upcoming TV series that will soon be airing on the Star Plus channel. The cast of the Chashni Today episode includes Amandeep Sidhu, Srishti Singh, Sai Ketan Rao, Aryan Arora, Hitanshu Jinsi, and other talented actors in supporting roles. The series is being produced by the renowned producer Sandip Sikand under his production company, Sandip Sikand’s Sol Production. Chashni is set to debut on March 9th, 2023, and can be watched on the official Star Plus channel or streamed on the Disney+ Hotstar platform.

    Reply

  22. Get ready to become a part of the Ghostbusters Frozen Empire Paul Rudd Jacket! Inspired by the iconic film, this jacket brings style and fandom together seamlessly. With its sleek design and attention to detail, it’s the perfect choice for fans looking to make a statement. Step into the world of paranormal adventures and show your love for Ghostbusters in style with this must-have jacket.

    Reply

  27. Your blog website provided us with useful information to execute with Batwoman Costume. Thanks a lot for this information. keep it up and give more useful update about this. With its sleek design and attention to detail, it’s the perfect choice for fans looking to make a statement. Step into the world of paranormal adventures and show your love for Ghostbusters in style with this must-have jacket.

    Reply

  28. I am constantly surprised by the amount of information accessible on this subject. What you presented was well researched and well written to get your stand on this over to all your readers. Thanks a lot my dear gledek 88

    Reply

  31. It’s heartwarming to see the Houston community coming together to support the Afghan families. Let’s not forget the importance of social awareness in our daily lives. Perhaps we could use engaging activities like the bad parenting game to spark conversations about cultural differences and parenting styles, enriching our understanding while having fun. Every small effort makes a difference.

    Reply

  33. Absolutely love this perspective—Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday, it’s a practice. A time to show gratitude not just in words, but in how we treat others.

    Reply

  34. That was a really insightful piece! I particularly appreciated how you broke down the complex aspects of [topic related to the post]. It definitely gave me a new perspective on things. It reminds me a bit of how my kid gets obsessed with simple games like Monkey Mart – easy to understand at first glance, but there’s actually a surprising amount of strategy involved if you want to really optimize your grocery store! Keep up the excellent work; I’m excited to see what you share next.

    Reply

  35. I found this while doing some research and thought it was worth setting aside. It may offer more utility than is immediately obvious — here’s the link if you’d like to take a look. 24kbet

    Reply

  36. I found this while doing some research and thought it was worth setting aside. It may offer more utility than is immediately obvious — here’s the link if you’d like to take a look. 24kbet

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.