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Restoring lives, uplifting Triad communities.
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Keep reading for the latest news and opportunities as we serve refugees, immigrants, survivors of trafficking, and our welcoming Triad community!
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One Year Since the Fall of Kabul
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In August 2021, the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan, and Kabul fell to the Taliban. Many Afghans, especially those who had assisted the U.S. government, were left at considerable risk. Since the withdrawal, an estimated 84,600 Afghans have been evacuated to the U.S.
Within weeks of the fall of Kabul, churches were gathering household supplies to transform empty apartments into homes for Afghan arrivals. Volunteers formed Good Neighbor Teams to help Afghan families adjust to life in the U.S. And, even as they began rebuilding their own lives, leaders emerged from the Afghan community to help us better welcome our new neighbors. Now, we invite you to keep leaning in. Do not grow weary of doing good — the work of welcome doesn’t stop when headlines fade.
Here to shed light on what the past year has looked like for him is Fraidon Sultani, who arrived and was resettled through World Relief Triad in November of 2021 shortly after the Taliban took control of his homeland. He continued to await the day he could be reunited with his family, who at the time was living in the United Arab Emirates.
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Fraidon Sultani enjoys some tea with his friend, Ali, who was his next-door neighbor at the time and also a client of World Relief, and Nancy, Good Neighbor Team member.
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On June 20, 2022, Sultani was reunited with his wife and children in Winston-Salem, both as clients of World Relief. While he and his wife have many memories, and remaining family members and friends in Afghanistan, it is no longer the country Sultani knew as a child.
“Life in Afghanistan is impossible.” He hears the news from back home of people being questioned regarding their work with foreign nationals, and friends are in hiding because of their involvement with American forces. Everyone in Afghanistan knows that if you are taken in for questioning, there is no guarantee that you will come back.
“That would be our life in Afghanistan.”
While they are grateful for their safety and the incredible generosity they have received in the U.S., there is no guarantee that the United States will officially be home to their family.
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Sultani reunited with his two sons after seven months apart from his family.
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Sultani, along with thousands of other Afghans, received Temporary Humanitarian Parole during the Taliban takeover in August of 2021. Their status is in limbo unless the Afghan Adjustment Act is passed, streamlining the immigration process for many Afghan nationals who supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. Until then, Sultani has faith in the future. “God sent us here, and hope we are here to have a great family, start a great life here, and work hard.”
Will you join us in continuing to show welcome to our Afghan neighbors by advocating for a path to citizenship on their behalf? Click the link below to learn more about how you can get involved with this opportunity.
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Back-to-School Feature: Sudanese Student Begins First Semester at Local University
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After arriving in the United States at the age of fifteen in 2018, Darelsalam Karama says, "It was hard to plan or think about college because I was still learning English. I was already in high school when I first arrived." Yet she allowed the motivation and support of her family, friends, and members of the World Relief team carry her to applying for colleges. Four years later, and she has received a full-ride to High Point University.
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"I knew I wanted to go to college by my junior year, but even that felt too late," Darelsalam says. "But I talked to a lot of people who encouraged me and helped me write my college essay, fill out applications, and apply for scholarships -- Mostly, Kyle and Rowan were extremely helpful."
Kyle Bahm, Youth Mentoring Coordinator for World Relief Triad, says that Rowan Geukgeuzian, High Point University intern at the time, was able to assist Darelsalam where she needed it. "But she doesn't need much help," Kyle says about Darelsalam. "She’s motivated. She can do things independently, so I just check in and ask if she needs help."
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Kyle and Rowan meeting with immigrant youth at the local library for tutoring lessons.
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Kyle speaks into the ease and comfort that students like Darelsalam provides him in his work. "When there’s someone self-motivated, like Darelsalam, and they just need a little bit of guidance, it allows me to focus on others who may need a little more assistance," he says. "It also encourages the younger siblings and sets an example. That helps me to challenge some of the other families' oldest children to do the same for their peers and younger siblings.”
Darelsalam actually speaks of her siblings, and her entire family, as the source for her motivation. "My siblings help to motivate me, and my parents. They didn’t argue or try to change my mind. They are super supportive.”
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Darelsalam began her first semester at High Point University only a few weeks ago, now. Currently, she is enrolled as a biology major as she wants to become a family medicine doctor, and will be taking other foundational courses to improve her reading, writing, and time management skills. She is looking forward to working at the community clinic as a volunteer and Bonner Leader, a program at High Point University that "seeks to transform the lives of students as well as their campuses, local communities, and nation by providing access to education and opportunities to serve."
"It's really fun for the most part, though I'm learning how to balance my time with working and going to classes," she says. "I volunteer eight to ten hours a week, but I can also put these hours on my resume, which is good."
After sharing her journey from Sudan to North Carolina in her college application essay, Darelsalam continues to share her story as a way to possibly inspire those who came from similar situations such as herself. "I just wanted to show where I started from, and what my struggles were," she says. "I hope it encourages others who are in similar situations."
You can help empower other individuals similar to Darelsalam today. Click the button below to learn more about how you can get involved with our Youth Mentoring Program at World Relief.
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Community Partner Highlight: Twin Cities Bike Collective
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In 2017, five 9th grade students out of a local high school decided to start a service learning project with the intention of soliciting broken and unwanted bikes to be repaired and restored for people that need transportation. Now, as a 501c3, their mission remains the same: To give as many people as possible a bike, whether that bike is going to be used for getting to the grocery store, transportation to work, exercise, or just the pleasure of riding a bicycle.
Chris Culp, faculty member at Summit School where this project started and now a leading member of the collective, says that they are on track to distribute close 1,000 bikes by the end of this year. When Chris connected with Raphael Ramazani, employee of World Relief Triad, in 2018, he realized that World Relief might be the perfect partner for their work. Since then, more than 20 bikes have been donated to clients of World Relief through Twin Cities.
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Volunteer and Good Neighbor Team member, Peter Jennings, pictured above, partnered with Twin Cities Bike Collective to provide his Afghan friends with bikes as pictured below:
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"We are a country of refugees and immigrants even though some of us have been here for many generations," Chris says. "We should never forget that. World Relief Triad is a great partnership for us because they get our bike donations into the hands of people who can use them. Our best work is done when we can focus on the tasks of collecting bikes, repairing them, and getting them ready for distribution."
To learn more about Twin Cities Bike Collective and their partnership with multiple organizations across Winston-Salem, click here! Additionally, if you or your organization are interested in partnering with us, we invite you to email us about your ideas at triad@wr.org. Together, we can build a community of welcome!
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Program Updates: Growth Seen Across Departments in July and August
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We have had an incredible couple of months and wanted to highlight some of our progress across programs. Thanks to members of the community, our amazing staff, and all of the others who make this work possible, we have had the privilege of continuing to serve the refugee and immigrant population in multiple ways!
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Since July 1st, we have welcomed 41 more individuals to the area! Our newest neighbors have come from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Over the next few weeks, we expect at least seven more individuals and families to arrive in the Triad.
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"Christian Advocacy: People Over Partisanship"
In-Person Speaking Event to Be Held on October 4th.
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On Tuesday, October 4th at 12PM, we invite you to join us for a conversation in exploring how the church can provide love, welcome, and support to our newest neighbors through advocating for their holistic well-being as they struggle with unique vulnerabilities due to their forced displacement.
This event will include a FREE meal and a presentation from a special guest speaker: Matthew Soerens, World Relief's U.S. Director of Church Mobilization and Advocacy. As we learn about how the church can engage in policy discussion in non-partisan ways guided by our Christian faith, there will also be an overview of the history of World Relief followed by a time of Q&A with Matthew answering your questions regarding immigration, the refugee pipeline, and the current status of our Afghan neighbors, DACA recipients, and other immigrant neighbors.
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"Sewcial" Group Begins in High Point
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Our Health & Wellness clients, staff, and volunteers have begun their "Sewcial" Group for women and their kids to come, fellowship, and make items for themselves or their families! We are so appreciative to every volunteer and to Emerywood Baptist Church for providing the space for us to come together.
If you would like to learn more about ways you can get involved with this High Point-based opportunity and have experience with basic sewing skills, let us know! Email us at volunteertriad@wr.org for more details.
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Introducing Warehouse Workdays
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We are so grateful for all of the help and support we have received over the last few months as we exited our previous warehouse and have now moved into a new space.
As a result, we are hoping to use some designated Saturdays over the next several months to organize our space, and we invite our volunteer-base to participate! We encourage you to gather a group of folks from your church or organization and take a look at the dates below to come on out to lend a hand at our new space located at 807 W. Ward Ave. in High Point!
Warehouse Work Days Schedule:
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If you're a current volunteer and have hours to log, you can do so here >>
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You can make a world of difference in the lives of refugees, immigrants and survivors of human trafficking by sharing your time and talents. Learn more and apply to become a volunteer with us at the button below.
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Our next volunteer orientation takes place on September 17th from 9AM-12PM via Zoom. Email us at volunteertriad@wr.org for more information!
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Alpha Kappa Alpha Phi Omega Chapter Donates Baby Baskets and Items to Expectant and Recent Mothers
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Jennifer Person, alongside her sorority sisters at the Phi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA) in Winston-Salem, recently assembled a large donation of baby items for expectant and recent mothers in the refugee and immigrant community! Together, the women collected and gifted four baby baskets full of various items for new or expectant mothers, as well as 8 boxes of diapers, wipes, and other essential items.
When asked about the mission of their organization and how it aligns with World Relief, Jennifer says that Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. "strives to be of 'Service to All Mankind.' World Relief Triad has given the Phi Omega Chapter a window of opportunities to partner with and assist in providing the necessary items, care, and comfort for refugees and immigrants in our community."
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As a part of their goals and initiatives that are implemented every four years in response to the growing and changing needs of their community, AKA began the Global Impact initiative which included the Refugee in America Assistance Program (RAAP). Many families that World Relief Triad strives to serve well fall into this category, and the Phi Omega Chapter saw this as a natural road to partnership.
"The delivery of the baby shower gifts to one of the local families will forever be in our hearts," Jennifer says. "To witness the excitement, expressions of laughter, and gratitude is unexplainable. It simply left each of us fulfilled knowing that it is our love and Service to all Mankind that can make a difference."
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ESL Kits and Backpacks Donated from Elevation Church
We appreciate our church partner, Elevation Church of Winston-Salem, and their continued generosity! As pictured, multiple individuals were able to gift the populations we serve with snack packs, bookbags (50 for K-5th graders and 50 for 6th-12th graders), hygiene kits, baby care kits, desk calendars/planners, summer survival kits, and 80 ESL kits.
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If your church or organization is interested in donating something similar to us, we invite you to take a look at our donations page with the button below!
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Church Partners Give Combined Gifts of Over $100,0000
We are incredibly thankful for the immense commitment seen by several church partners recently. With a gift of $25,000 from Elevation Church in Winston-Salem, a gift of $55,000 through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and finally a gift received through the Wesleyan Investment Foundation of $36,000, we are rapidly preparing and able to see how these gifts will benefit those we serve going into the next fiscal year.
We hope that these gifts will give us the chance to:
- Increase our internal capacity for hiring additional staff
- Assist families with an even higher quality of services to have their needs met
- Build more sustainable paths to integration through strengthening our community partnerships
These gifts will go towards all of these efforts going into the new fiscal year in October. We could not be more appreciative or compelled to be good stewards of the financial investment in the work of World Relief that these faith groups have shown.
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If you'd like to support us financially, visit our giving page with the button below.
Thank you for your generosity!
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A great way to partner with WR Triad is by praying with and for us! Will you join us by praying for our community in these ways?
- Pray for both of our offices' preparation as we continue to welcome more arrivals in the upcoming months. We are expecting over 250 arrivals to take place through the end of the year, with about 130 resettling in both Winston and High Point. We have currently confirmed the arrivals of at least 5 different families arriving from various countries in the upcoming weeks. Pray specifically for our client coordinators as they work to properly provide services to all of their clients, as well as our resource management team as they prepare their homes.
- For the Afghan immigrants who have arrived and are now waiting for their pending immigration status in terms of citizenship: We are praying and hoping for a permanent solution to arise soon through the Afghan Adjustment Act or by some other legislative means.
- Pray for open positions to be filled with the right people as well as our newest additions to the team who are already contributing to our team in a mighty way. Especially concerning the open position of Executiv Office Director, we are praying for peace and a smooth transition in the hiring and onboarding process. Pray for staff members as they continue to train and assure new hires of their roles, as well as for staff to have wisdom throughout the hiring process.
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." - Hebrews 10:23
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