A man of faith
It was one and a half months ago that Taliban took over Afghanistan once again. Soon, the people started to panic and fear from an uncertain future under the Taliban. Tens of thousands of Afghans, from different provinces of Afghanistan, rushed to the Kabul International Airport hoping to find a way out. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of them could get evacuated while tens of thousands of Afghans, including my wife and kids, were left behind.
I was going through the hardest period of my life as I was afraid, disappointed, desperate, and hopeless. I did not know how and if I would be able to help my family. As a result of my work with the former Afghan government and my Christian faith, my family was at grave risk of persecution. So, my wife, and four children together with my parents had to escape my hometown to go to Kabul to find a way out. When they arrived, the situation at the airport was already chaotic. Given the huge crowd at the airport, I could not imagine my family could go through and find a way to the airport. The clock was ticking, and I was feeling more desperate.
Although difficult situations make things look impossible, God has taught me that “what is impossible with men is possible with God.” I always have this in my heart and mind. This belief helped me stand firm and keep believing in a larger plan. As a faculty member at American University with asylum status for me and my family, I reached out to the state leadership to get some support from the state senators to try and include my family on an evacuation list. As the leadership was exploring options, we found out that a staff member’s brother was working in the military and had connections to an evacuation team.
Despite his efforts, we did not have enough time to evacuate my family at that time. I thought that was it. But this guy as he came out of nowhere reappeared almost a couple of weeks later. He called me and mentioned that there might be a chance for my family. I could not believe, but he called me and said your family should leave in an hour. I could not believe it. It was like teaching me a lesson what is possible when you keep the faith. My family is now safe outside Afghanistan and I cannot wait to be reunited with them soon.
After more than one month, I got to know that all these things happened through Argo Taskforce who are honestly working to help Afghans at risk. Argo is doing an amazing and impossible job during this unpredictable time. There are still thousands of Afghans who need to get evacuated. If you are reading this story and have the capacity to support Argo Taskforce, please do not hesitate. Afghans have worked with the US government during the last twenty years. They have put their lives at risk then, and now their lives are at risk with the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
