Nov 28, 2012 ... You can't tell that the young mom with two kids you passed on the way to ... P.S.
You are invited to come to the IRIS office any time to see the ...
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November 28, 2012 Dear Friends, It’s hard to spot a refugee in a crowd. You can’t tell that the young mom with two kids you passed on the way to the office fled kidnapping and death threats in Baghdad. You would never know that the 17 year-old who plays soccer with your son watched his father dragged away 10 years ago, and has not heard from him since. You would never guess that the woman who served you coffee this morning suffered torture at the hands of her own government and was forced to flee her home – without her daughter. Refugees have lost almost everything. They’ll never see their homes again. They’ve lost husbands or wives, sisters, brothers, or children to the ravages of war. Refugees don’t look very different from anyone else. In fact, their faces often belie the trauma and fear they’ve lived through.
Farha and her children fled Sudan. - Photo by Judy Sirota Rosenthal
Your contribution of $250, $100, or $50 gives these new Americans hope, strength, and the skills to build a new life. I hope we can count on you to send a special year-end gift to IRIS. When they arrive in the US, refugees no longer fear kidnappings, torture, or arbitrary arrests. Their children sleep safely at night. But their struggles continue. Most refugees don’t speak English and they urgently need to find jobs. They might have been business owners, medical professionals or farmers in their own countries, but here they are more than willing to work in factories, wash dishes, and clean hotel rooms—all minimum wage jobs. They have the same concerns you do about job security, the same hopes for their children’s futures. They are ready to work hard, become self-sufficient, and fit in. This is where your gift makes the difference.
It’s hard to spot a refugee, and they could not pick you out of a crowd either. But they know you’re there. These families know that while they looked for their first job, your contribution paid their rent, thus saving them from eviction. They know your donation helped IRIS arrange surgery that healed an old injury. They are grateful for your support when they get jobs and begin to provide for their families. These men, women and children know you’re rooting for them. Farha—shown with her children in the photo—and her husband were journalists in Eritrea and Sudan. She wants to tell you about how you helped her start over: In 2004 I fled Eritrea and went to Sudan, smuggled by my husband’s friends across the border. The trip took five days. But the security police came. They followed me whenever I went out. They harassed my son at daycare, and they threatened me: “Tell your husband that if he doesn’t care about himself, he should care about his wife and children.” I stopped taking my son to daycare, but then he cried every day. So we went together every day, and with my baby daughter. Finally, the UN came and said I had two days to prepare to leave for the US. They came on Monday, and we left on Wednesday. I had one suitcase and my son had his favorite toy. People told me I shouldn’t come here, that we’d be put in a camp. Instead, on my first night in Connecticut, my neighbor came to my door with a meal. When I told him I couldn’t pay him anything, he said, “No, this is to welcome you.” Whenever I ask anyone for help, no one ever says no. Now I have a good job at Wheeler’s doing food prep. My children have a future here. There are many families like Farha’s who have survived nearly insurmountable obstacles. We need your help to rescue them. Please send your tax-deductible gift to IRIS today – and please be as generous as you can. You may never be able to spot a refugee in a crowd, but you will always know that because of your generosity men, women, and children who once lived in fear are now safe and building new lives in America. Thank you for letting these families and IRIS count on you. Sincerely, Chris George Executive Director P.S. You are invited to come to the IRIS office any time to see the impact of your donations. I would love to show you around, introduce you to our staff, and have you meet the refugees your support is helping. Come see how we put your gifts to work!
