OUR AFGHAN NEIGHBORS
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” Matthew 25:35
It’s now been almost six months since the fall of Kabul prompted the largest military evacuation of refugees in history. In a matter of weeks, more than 76,000 Afghans arrived in the US, all but about 10,000 of whom have since been resettled in communities across the country. The sheer number of new arrivals has posed significant challenges both for the government and the nine refugee resettlement agencies tasked with assisting them. It has taken time for us to get the necessary information about how we can help.
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) is one of the nine resettlement agencies doing this work. We have been in contact with them and joined webinars to learn more about how to help. LIRS is involved on many levels, (and is now monitoring the situation in Ukraine) but is not the resettlement agency for our area. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is the agency helping in the greater Los Angeles area and our friends at LIRS have encouraged us to work through them. Our local Conejo Interfaith Refugee Team is now working with IRC to assist some of the newly arrived Afghan families.
The attached flyer provides a sign-up genius and more detailed information about how you can help. Ways to help:
- Donate to Ascension’s Matthew 25:35 dedicated fund for refugees and immigrants and designate for Afghan resettlement OR
- URGENT NEED FOR TRUCKS, DRIVERS, FURNITURE MOVERS
- Donate to United Methodist Church’s dedicated Fund. (link below)
- Give items of need by using the sign up genius. (link below)
- Donate to the wish list at IRC (link below).
- For more info, contact Ascension’s Global Ministries & Matthew 25:35 Outreach Team Ministry Teams:
NOTE: LINKS ON FLYER ARE INACTIVE
USE LINKS BELOW.