wfn.org | ACNS - Virginia diocese resettles Afghan refugees

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ACNS 3086 - USA - 13 August 2002

Virginia diocese resettles Afghan refugees

by Nancy Jenkins

[Virginia Episcopalian] It's not unusual for a church to resettle a refugee
family from overseas in the Diocese of Virginia, but when St Mary's in
Richmond welcomed the Noori family at the Richmond airport it was an
extraordinary event by any American's standard. The Nooris are the first
Afghan family to be resettled in Virginia since the events of September 11.

St Mary's received a call from the Refugee Resettlement Program of Virginia
Council of Churches in early April. They were given just one day with
minimal information about the family to decide if they could be the sponsor.
It was a true exercise of faith.

Lay Pastoral Associate Ellen Williams recalls, "We only had five days to
prepare to receive the family. That Sunday I made an appeal for people who
would like to be involved and had special talents to donate. Monday morning
we met and mobilised. The family arrived Thursday evening."

The Nooris' story of persecution at the hands of the Taliban is an horrific
one. "They were singled out and victimised because they did not adhere to
what the Taliban believed," says Ellen Williams. "They stood for a more
progressive way of life."

The two Noori brothers, who were professional photographers, left home one
day to film a wedding - a practice forbidden by Taliban law - and never
returned. They were decapitated by the Taliban, who later flaunted the
murders before the family. Their father, Nazar, is completely blind from the
experience - a victim of a rare but well-documented psychological condition
known as hysterical blindness which sometimes occurs after a person
witnesses a traumatic event.

Afghani, the wife of one of the brothers, is now left alone to care for her
father-in-law and three children under the age of five. She is only 21 years
old.

After her husband's death, Afghani and her family were still in great
danger. In a matter of days, they fled to Pakistan and stayed there for a
year, waiting to hear from the US Department of Immigration and
Naturalisation.

Without traditional male support, Afghani was classified by immigration
authorities as a "woman at risk" of abuse and exploitation. For this reason
they considered her and her family an urgent case for resettlement.

Today, the Noori family have settled into their apartment. Afghani speaks
little English, but by simple observation she seems to feel relatively safe
and even anxiously optimistic about their future life in Richmond. She knows
that she will need to attend English as a Second Language classes and secure
a job. She is interested in beauty consulting and hopes that someday she
might own a beauty salon. When Afghani finds a job, childcare will also be
offered as part of the Resettlement program.

The children's resiliency is perhaps the most remarkable. They have their
moments but, most of the time, they are very playful, energetic and full of
laughter. The oldest child, Faisal, has begun attending the local elementary
school. By being in the Women at Risk program they were able to stay in
separate housing from the refugee camps in Pakistan. It is clear that they
have not experienced deprivation that comes with life in a refugee camp.

Ellen Williams spearheads the effort with the help of many parishioners and
admits it's a hefty undertaking: "It takes all of the gifts of the Body of
Christ, not a few. One of the most valuable gifts you can give a family is
your time." But she adds that it is doable and hopes other parishes will be
encouraged to sponsor a refugee family. "It's not only a wonderful way to
draw our community together, but it also enlarges our experience of serving
and honouring our neighbours in the world - an important part of our calling
as Christians."
_______________________________________________
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