It takes a village: four churches support Afghan evacuee family

When the Afghan government collapsed and the Taliban seized power in August 2021, the US airlifted thousands of vulnerable Afghans and their families to the United States.  Many of those families came to Santa Fe. Organizations and churches were encouraged to support these evacuees, and Westminster quickly mobilized to do so!

We were connected with the Ibrahimis, a family of 8, including 6 children. The family was especially vulnerable because the dad was in the Afghan military and volunteered to serve with American forces as they fought against the Taliban. The family did not speak English when they arrived, so their support needs have been great. 

As the size of the task became apparent, Westminster approached several area churches to ask for support. Quickly, what had been Westminster’s effort became a co-operative effort, and our team expanded to include:

• Westminster Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe

• First Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe

• White Rock Presbyterian Church

• White Rock United Methodist Church

The congregations jointly raised funds to help resettle the family, and church volunteers are helping the Ibrahimis integrate into our community. The volunteers have given many hours of their time to: 

• Move the family into a rental apartment and furnish it completely

• Tutor the parents and children in English and all school subjects

• Serve as liaisons to school administrators and teachers to address unmet needs

• Find and purchase a vehicle for the family and help the father get a drivers’ license

• Help find a good job in a safe environment for the father of the family

• Coordinate medical and dental appointments for the family

• Transportation to cultural enrichment events in Santa Fe and Albuquerque

• Mentor the family on financial issues

• Assist with immigration requirements

• Become friends with the family

And the list is likely longer. Over the last nine months, volunteers from all four congregations have spent hundreds of hours working together to support the Ibrahimi family. No single congregation could have supplied enough funds or volunteers to help a family of this size with such need. Instead, God has provided a unique opportunity for our church partnership to help them settle into a new country, one in which the five Ibrahimi girls can attend school for the first time and choose any profession they wish. Praise God for that and for the many hands across four churches who support them!