The Haruns, Abubakar, Asha, and their five children, arrived from a Kenyan refugee camp to a warm Beargrass welcome two months ago. Ahmed and Salma have moved to Newcomer Academy from Seneca and settled in nicely there, while Abdulhadi and Salima are enjoying their days at Goldsmith Elementary. Mom and Dad attend English and cultural orientation classes at KRM five days weekly. We expect Abubakar to be placed in a job very soon. Upon every visit they express appreciation for Beargrass–your generosity, your graciousness, your love. They are full of joy about their new lives in America. What a pleasure to witness their smiles!

Two weeks ago KRM approached us regarding another family, whose plight is quite different. Mohammad and Mastora Roshan Zada escaped the Taliban in Afghanistan earlier this year, along with their seven children. They traveled first to Qatar for final clearance on their visa for US entry. While there, their oldest child, Murtaza, was diagnosed with cancer. He was treated surgically, and advised to follow up medically when arriving in the US. They departed for Oklahoma in September but upon arrival quickly diverted to Louisville, given that Mohammad’s brother had earlier immigrated here. He assisted in finding them lodging near Iroquois Park, and the children were registered with JCPS, including Murtaza (age 17). He became quite ill at school one day, was sent to the ED, and tragically, it was determined the cancer had moved into other parts of his body. Now, Children’s Hospital has placed him on an aggressive chemo and radiation protocol over the next 10 months, given that the cancer is widespread.

Bob Gilewski, Wayne Mayes, and I met the family at their home for the first time last week. We immediately arranged some furnishings for them from the KRM warehouse, but their material needs now seem limited (we also delivered a tv and 4 Pedal Power bikes this week). While KRM is doing their usual stellar work in medical, schooling, employment, and other casework services, they are concerned about the family’s winter clothing, financial, and emotional needs in the coming months, especially given the severity of Murtaza’s diagnosis. Suggesting this to be a palliative co-sponsorship, they asked if Beargrass might befriend this family and traverse the journey alongside them. While it’s unusual for Beargrass to undertake two refugee co-sponsorships within two months, God’s nudge was a strong one and there really was only one answer.

In addition to Murtaza, there are girls ages 13, 12, 11, and boys ages 10, 8, and 4. All seem of slight to medium stature. So, in addition to your prayers, any gently-used winter clothing for the kids would be helpful, as would any financial donations. Clothing should be delivered to the small room across from the Beargrass office, while checks payable to Beargrass and referencing the Roshan Zada family can be directed to the church office. If you can assist in other ways, would like to meet the family, or have questions of any nature, please reach out to me at [email protected] or 502.593.7148. 

Allow me to close this contrast of these two families with a quote from Rev. James Chatham who was there at Kentucky Refugee Ministries’ founding 35 years ago: “If we want to meet God, let us involve ourselves seriously with human struggle, with the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings, the hopes of embattled people. Let us walk beside them as they seek new direction. Let us empower them to speak and advocate for their cause. In so doing, we will, through sacred mystery, encounter the living Christ who also walks their path. This is where we will find him, where he will find us, among the world’s beleaguered and struggling people seeking redemption. The cause is not only their redemption but ours.”