HOUSTON – They are the bravest of people, all refugees from Afghanistan, who aided U.S. military forces for years.
They are also people who had to be airlifted out of Afghanistan at a moment’s notice, with only the clothing on their backs, when the Taliban took over five months ago.
”Yes, they were brought here because they were helping the United States and they had helped the United States for years, and to stay in Afghanistan would be death to them,” Susan Mariscal, a woman who has set her mind to helping these people live the life they deserve.
Jumadad (we are not revealing his last name for his own protection from the Taliban) is a loving husband and father to two young boys who worked with U.S. forces as a translator for more than 10 years.
He and his wife and kids are just one of more than 40 Afghan families brought to the U.S. by the government and are now living in a West Houston apartment complex.
”We had helped the U.S. forces for so long and we were feeling that we would not have a good life in Afghanistan after the collapse. The Taliban killed my father. They would be out to kill us,” Jumadad said.
Through Interfaith Ministries, these Afghan refugees are given an apartment to live in, food to eat, furniture, English language classes, help assimilating into the American culture and all of the necessities they need to begin their new lives here.
But, there was one thing that Jumadad said his family is missing. Something very important to all of the young children, including his two young sons.
“Jumadad told us, and it surprised us, the children do not have bicycles,” Susan Mariscal said.
Now, thanks to Susan and her husband, Stephen Mariscal, the faith-filled couple gifted Jumadad’s two young sons new bicycles.
In fact, the Mariscals have provided bikes for roughly 20 of the children in this community, but there are dozens of other Afghan children in the neighborhood who need and deserve the same thing.
Now, the Spencer Solves It team is going to work to provide brand new bicycles for all the children in need.
If you would like to donate to help the children and their families, check out the GoFundMe.