Hopeless and in tears

April 19, 2022

Yalda, the daughter of my Afghan colleague Jawad, sent me the following message. It is so disheartening. We have made no progress, and have few options, for helping the family escape from Afghanistan.

Dear Uncle Michael,

I always pray for you and your family that you all may live happily and surrounded by joy.

I was very excited this year that I completed 6th grade with the hope that I’d be able to pursue 7th grade, but with the fall of Kabul into Taliban’s hand, all my dreams evaporated and now I’m unable to go back to school and study with my classmates and build up a future as I had wished.

Hopelessly and in tears, I spend the entire day in a corner of the house hoping that God may hear my voice and help me out of Afghanistan to start a new life based on human values so that I can get back to school. I wish I was in a position to help poor Afghans in dire need of support.

In the hope of a world with no war,

Yalda

Kabul, Afghanistan

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