One Year Later – Our Journey of Sponsorship
Author: Tessa Krippaehne
August 25, 2023
October 6 will mark the one-year anniversary of our
relationship sponsoring a refugee family from Afghanistan. A year ago, with a
team of 36 and many generous donations, we naively planned to sponsor up to
seven Afghan refugee families. We could never have imagined the commitment of
time and energy it would take to just sponsor one family! We now know that
sponsorship is a journey of learning, discovering, and frustrations; but most
of all it’s a journey full of joy. I can’t imagine any refugee family having to
come to this country without an incredible support system behind them. It is
because of Grace and so many servant hearts that we get to witness this family
fully settling into a new life in a new country they now call home.
Our family has a full house with all the kids home for the
summer, but they're getting some time out in the playground and enjoy the
visits from the FRED bus to their apartment complex. They have continued their
tutoring this summer with Kelly Maloney, and this fall seven of the kids will
be in school, Sibghat (kindergarten), Hena (3rd) Aibadullah (4th), Sajid (7th),
Nailla (10th), Waridullah (11th), and Humimanda (12th). Sharif (father), Bibi
Gul (mother), and Fahmida (eldest sister) have all started taking ESOL classes
at Highline College. Kashif will be turning two in November and is a smiling
ball of energy around the apartment, even he has started learning some English
words. When I visit, he often greets me with “ball, ball, ball” because he
loves when I toss the ball with him. I have loved seeing their English skills
improving and the pride they have when we communicate in English.
Recently, Bibi Gul found out she has a cousin who lives in
the same apartment complex as them (she wasn’t even aware her cousin’s family
had made it to the US). They spend a lot of time together, as well as with
Sharif’s brother and his nine children. They enjoy meals together, visiting
parks so the children can play, and taking hikes where the landscape feels like
their home country (you may have heard about them in the news, and we’ve since
had multiple conversations about hiking safety and how to make sure everyone is
always accounted for!)
Medical and Dental appointments continue to be the majority
of the time we spend with them. We have accompanied them on 93 appointments
(and counting!) As part of their transition towards independence, they have
started to attend some of the appointments without our team, but that’s
difficult with only one driver in the home who also works a full-time job. Sharif
is still loving his job at the airport. We’re hopeful that he will soon get his
CDL (a goal of his) so he can get a job with a higher salary to better support
the family.
I was invited to celebrate Eid with the family in April. (A
celebration marking the end of Ramadan) A delicious meal was prepared and after
eating, 23 women, eight children, and three newborns showed up to the small
apartment. Everyone greeted me with lots of excitement! After a lot of
convincing, I eventually gave in and let the girls give me a henna tattoo.
In May, I was visiting our family checking in on Humimanda
who had recently had surgery and Bibi Gul who had just visited the emergency
room. Bibi Gul was showing me the medicines she received from the hospital and
on the top of the pile was a little bottle that said Prenatal Vitamins. “Are
you pregnant?!” I exclaimed, holding up the bottle. She smiled and said yes,
she had learned she was pregnant when visiting the ER with stomach pains. I was
recently able to attend her first ultrasound appointment and when I tell you I
was shocked when the image popped up on the monitor, I was SHOCKED! “That’s a
whole baby in there!” I said, the ultrasound technician laughed. We look
forward to the joy of welcoming the new addition to the family early December.
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