Stranger Becomes Neighbor

Afghan Arrivals - What Can One Person Do?

It's been two years since the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan and some 80,000 people were  evacuated are living here in America. Understaffed resource agencies were flooded with thousands of people at once. This is the story of volunteers who stepped in to bridge the gap for the remarkable people who fought oppression, then needed to flee Taliban.  Be sure to follow us on Apple podcasts so you won't miss an episode. 

Ep 1 - Welcome to Your New Home

An ambitious 16-year-old girl has graduated two years early from her high school in Afghanistan. She is ready to take the medical school entrance exam to pursue her dream of being a doctor, but she never gets the chance. In August of 2021, the Taliban regains power and she and her family rushe to the Kabul airport. She is one of the lucky ones who makes it through the gate, but when she looks around, she realizes her parents didn’t make it. She, her sister and 4-year-old niece are evacuated to the U.S. All alone, they arrive on a snowy night to a cold, dark apartment with no power. This is the story of how well we helped our newest neighbors and the conditions that more than 80,000 refugees would be facing because of reduced resources.  For more information including pictures and a transcript of this episode, visit us at kslpodcasts.com. For more on Hope4Afghanistan, visit the website: hope4afghanistan.org Joining KSL Podcasts Premium is a great way to support our show and to get our bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts. Stranger Becomes Neighbor is sponsored by Better Help.

Ep 2 - A Personal Connection

Their father killed by the Taliban, a girl and her family fled to Pakistan then America, but this happened more than 20 years ago. Now, Nazifa is using her own experience as a refugee to help hundreds of Afghans who were part of the mass exodus when the U.S. military pulled out of the country in 2021. But she is only one person and the need is immense. Who will step up to help?  For more information including pictures and a transcript of this episode, visit us at kslpodcasts.com. For more on Hope4Afghanistan, visit the website: hope4afghanistan.org Joining KSL Podcasts premium is a great way to support our show and to get our bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts. Stranger Becomes Neighbor is sponsored by Better Help.

Ep 3 - Sisterhood of Embroidery and Artillery

Looking at a young woman in a headscarf quietly ringing up groceries at Walmart, you would never know the dramatic life she has lived. During the war in Afghanistan, the US military trained a small, elite force of Afghan women called the Female Tactical Platoon (FTP) to serve alongside American special forces on dangerous night raids of suspected Taliban homes and compounds. These female soldiers had to keep their work secret, even from their own neighbors, because they were not safe in their own country. And when the Taliban took control, there was no plan in place to protect them. That's when US soldiers - mostly women - who trained and worked with the FTPs decided they would have to be the ones to get this highly endangered group out of Afghanistan. They call themselves Sisters of Service. This week on Stranger Becomes Neighbor, we follow the path of one remarkable Afghan soldier and the sisterhood that stands by her side.  For more information including pictures and a transcript of this episode, visit us at kslpodcasts.com. For more on Hope4Afghanistan, visit the website: hope4afghanistan.org. And find Sisters of Service at https://sistersofservice.org/ For more information on the PenFed Foundation’s Afghan Rescue and Resettlement program, visit penfedfoundation.org. Joining KSL Podcasts premium is a great way to support our show and to get our bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts. Stranger Becomes Neighbor is sponsored by Better Help.

Ep 4 - Bridging the Gap

When thousands of Afghans arrived in US communities in a short time frame, the refugee agencies were challenged to meet the needs of the evacuees. It fell on regular Americans to try to fill in the gaps. This story follows the efforts of two especially driven volunteers: one a former refugee herself, the other a stay-at-home mother of five. They reach the limits of what they can do alone, and try to figure out how to build a network big enough to meet all the needs they see. In the beginning, many people wanted to help, but as time goes by and other events take over the news, they find American attention and interest in Afghans is waning.  For more information including pictures and a transcript of this episode, visit us at kslpodcasts.com. For more on Hope4Afghanistan, visit the website: hope4afghanistan.org. And find Sisters of Service at https://sistersofservice.org/ For more information on the PenFed Foundation’s Afghan Rescue and Resettlement program, visit penfedfoundation.org. Joining KSL Podcasts Premium is a great way to support our show and to get our bonus content. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts. Stranger Becomes Neighbor is sponsored by Better Help.