A Special Gathering

On Saturday, December 18 CFNA hosted a special gathering of more than 70 Afghan refugees at Concordia Lutheran Church, Kirkwood.

The purpose was to provide a venue for socialization and fellowship for these New Americans..  It is indeed vital for the Afghans who have recently arrived in St. Louis to establish connections with fellow Afghans and with the greater St. Louis community, many of whom will be prepared to provide much valued assistance in the days to come.

Homa Zafer

Among those who attended the event were some members of the Afghan community who had been in St. Louis for a considerable period of time, as well as some who had arrived quite recently.  While the adults socialized, the kids enjoyed puzzles, games, coloring books and a huge bag of toy animals. A highlight of the event was an Afghan dinner featuring rice, lamb and salad.  Gift cards were also shared. 

One young lady who arrived in St. Louis just recently described this as her best experience since leaving the Kabul airport three months earlier.  One of her biggest surprises since her arrival was to see all the Christmas lights decorating so many houses and businesses in the area.  Among her greatest needs are learning how to drive as well as learning English.  Her goal is to become employed so that she might find a job and be able to support her sister who still lives in Kabul.  

To be sure, CFNA will be pleased to help with these, as well as provide assistance to others with similar needs.  We also say thank you to all who helped organize this event, including the numerous volunteers who provided much needed assistance. 

By Homa Zafer with
Rev. Al Buckman