REFUGEE FAMILY
Welcoming the Stranger: Supporting Afghan Refugees
Thank you for helping us to support Afghan Refugees! We were deeply moved by how our Saint Clement family answered the call this past September to raise $50,000 to help an Afghan refugee family resettle in the U.S.
Update March 2022:
The Afghan family that Saint Clement welcomed to Chicago in November is thriving! The dad worked as a civil engineer in Kabul, and recently started a position at Walsh Construction thanks to a connection made by one of our parishioners. The mom delivered the family’s second daughter in January, and mom, baby, and big sister are doing well. The mom is about to start English classes, and we’re working on providing mental health services to the family to address the challenges of being separated from family stuck back in Afghanistan. This family also includes a 22-year-old cousin. He settled into a studio apartment and began a warehouse job at a publishing company thanks to one of our parishioners.
In addition to the original family Saint Clement is sponsoring, we’ve become involved with two other Afghan families through Catholic Charities. One family consists of parents, a young daughter, and two eighteen-year-old nieces. The young women are very bright, and are studying for their GEDs in the hopes of applying to colleges next year. The second family consists of parents and a young son. The families attend English classes, cultural classes, and are learning to navigate their new lives in Chicago.
Our team of parishioners has been helping all three families with their basic needs, creating resumes and sourcing job opportunities, emotional support through family visits and playdates with the young children, and connecting them with local resources to best fit their needs. We are partnering with the Kovler Center through Heartland Alliance to offer mental health counseling. All of these families have loved ones stuck back in Afghanistan, many of whom are afraid for their lives. Please keep them in your prayers, and thank you for your support as we accompany these families on their journeys.
Please read the following thank you letter from Colleen McHugh, Immigration Parish Coordinator for Saint Clement Parish.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35)
Dear friends,
Thank you so much for heeding the call of the Gospel and welcoming the stranger with your generous donations to our fund for newly arriving Afghan families. These families and individuals are beginning new lives in Chicago after assisting American efforts in Afghanistan, and they are coming here with very few possessions. Your donations are contributing to help cover costs of their transportation to Chicago, housing, furniture, and basic items with which to begin their life in the U.S.
Saint Clement is proud to stand at the forefront of embracing our immigrant and refugee brothers and sisters in Chicago. Thank you for recognizing the dignity in all humans, and for showing such warm hospitality to those who need it most. The story of Saint Clement’s successful campaign to support these families has inspired other local churches to get involved as well, and please know your efforts will impact many families and individuals as they navigate an uncertain time. We greatly appreciate your generosity toward these deserving people.
Peace,
Colleen McHugh