By Rubin E. Grant
Mary Liz Ingram remembers watching the news reports of Afghans desperately trying to leave their country in August after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan.
The images of the dangerous chaos left her feeling helpless and disconnected since what was happening was a world away.
“I felt like it was all very horrific,” Ingram said, “but I also felt detached. I watched it more as an observer. It was awful, but I never thought I would be able to do anything about it.”
Several months later, in December, Ingram found herself right in the middle of doing something about it.
More than 50 Afghan refugees were relocated to Birmingham through the Inspiritus Refugee resettlement program. Individuals and families, who had been living on military bases, began arriving just before Christmas with essentially only the clothes on their backs.
Ingram, outreach coordinator at Trinity United Methodist Church, was prepared for their arrival because of what she already had been doing during the COVID-19 pandemic for neighbors in the West Homewood community where she and her family lives.
“I started doing stuff at my house for friends and neighbors during the pandemic,” Ingram said. “People would drop off things in the yard and it just grew. We had about 40-50 people who would come by on Thursdays and Fridays to get stuff, so we moved it to Trinity West Homewood.”
People already were dropping by Trinity to get things they needed, such as food, clothes, furniture and other household goods. So, when the Afghan refugees made their way to Birmingham, Trinity partnered with Inspiritus to lend a hand.
“We welcomed them, helping them with anything they needed,” Ingram said. “This is a new land and a traumatic experience for each of them and a long process that they are still enduring.”
The refugees are in the process of moving into apartments this month, so Trinity West held a donation drive on MLK Day. More than 100 volunteers from Trinity, surrounding churches and the community came to donate, sort donations and prepare to get needed items to their new Afghan neighbors.
“We took over the gym to give them whatever they needed,” Ingram said. “By networking with several area organizations and churches, we can play a huge part in making this time of transition more comfortable and help these families and individuals get the items they need to restart their lives here in the United States.
“It’s all based on generosity. There has been a spectacular response.”
Trinity also has set up an Amazon wish list for new items that can be purchased and shipped to the church, which will then be taken to the Afghans’ apartments.
Betsy Mishoe, a Hoover resident and the new community engagement specialist in Birmingham for Inspiritus, is appreciative of the partnership with Trinity.
“The outpouring of support from Trinity has been wonderful,” Mishoe said. “We are excited to partner with them.”
For more than three decades, Inspiritus, formerly Lutheran Services of Georgia and Lutheran Services in Tennessee, has promoted programs to build welcoming communities for refugees and immigrants.
As of Jan. 21, Trinity had welcomed eight Afghan men, a young couple and a family of four, providing them with clothes, food, furniture and some household items.
Because the security and confidentiality of the refugees is a high priority, their identities are withheld and they are not available for interviews. But they have experienced an outpouring of support from the community.
“The only story I have is seeing how many who have come here and didn’t hesitate to jump in to make sure they have what they need,” Ingram said. “It’s a happy community moment.”
Building a Care Team
Trinity is hoping to put together a Care Team for more personal engagement, which would require a relational commitment to a couple of individuals or a family. Those interested would have to take part in training through Inspiritus.
Each person on the Trinity Care Team will have to commit to visiting with the family once a month in person for about an hour. The purpose of the visits is to help Afghans with everything from bills, to shopping lists and navigating through a culture that is very different from their own.
“I keep saying they’re our new friends and neighbors,” Ingram said. “They have already been through so much pain and loss. We want to make them feel comfortable and welcomed and not just help with their basic needs. We want our kids and families to get to know them and interact with them.”
