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."
Article from: Virginia Episcopalian by Nancy Jenkins