“I heard a loud boom and then saw orange fire with sparks of white shimmering off the home next to me,” Abdul said, “people were screaming. The air was thick with soot. A man came running to my door. He said it was no longer safe for my family to be here. This was the only home I had ever known, this was Baghdad.”
Abdul’s experience forced him and his family to leave their home for a new life in America. He and his children, all under the age of 7, were given plane tickets to land in Virginia. Scared and unsure about the LSS/NCA staff who were at the airport to pick them up, they had no choice but to have faith in a better future and a better people. Over the course of 90 days, LSS/NCA helped Abdul and his family rebuild their lives by furnishing a new home, assisting Abdul in creating a resume, and teaching the family how to use public transportation and ATM’s. Proud to call America his home, Abdul is now a translator for the US Army and his children are on the honor roll in middle school.
Every year, LSS/NCA resettles over 400 refugees. These individuals come to America fleeing their homes, their nations, and their families, hoping for the chance to find a life free of persecution. If you live in the Washington DC area and are interested in volunteering with the Refugee program, please contact Lily Habtu at Habtue@lssnca.org.
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