Appeal for Help: Wife's Family Desperate to Get Out of Afghanistan (UPDATE 20 FEB: THIRD OPTION COMING ABOUT! FOSTERING HOPE IN DESPAIR)

[Nikolai]

That's awesome! We're out in the boonies (Gainesville area), but it might be worth a drive in to support a good local business like this. One of the things that caught my wife by surprise when we moved here was how many Afghans are here. I've lived here a couple times prior to us meeting, and didn't realize there's an entire Afghan (and wider Muslim) underground in NoVA. It's pretty cool.

As far as updates, it's mostly quiet. We're working on figuring out a few things for after they get here (who knows when that will be), but we're getting closer to solutions, which is awesome.

 

[BTTA]

More from the Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/12/17/afghan-family-northern-virginia/

 

[BTTA]

@Nikolai - just hit the Atlantic.

The Betrayal

America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan added moral injury to military failure. But a group of soldiers, veterans, and ordinary citizens came together to try to save Afghan lives and salvage some American honor.

www.theatlantic.com

If you don't have a subscription, let me know.

 

[Nikolai]

@Nikolai - just hit the Atlantic.

The Betrayal

America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan added moral injury to military failure. But a group of soldiers, veterans, and ordinary citizens came together to try to save Afghan lives and salvage some American honor.

www.theatlantic.com

If you don't have a subscription, let me know.

Dude, reading that...was tough. There were some bits of information I didn't know that really pissed me off, and reading about those crazy days from August 15-August 30, which were just a non-stop barrage of desperation, frantic shifts in priority, and caffiene with lack of sleep...it brought it all back. And honestly, I feel like we've failed so far...so many are still stuck there...

I have updates, but they're mostly grim.

We lost eight people. We don't have contact with them. We lost the guy we had found. No word for weeks. The eight were in Pakistan and then disappeared. We like to joke that maybe they're neck deep in hookers in blow in the Netherlands and don't have time to update us, but the reality is likely far more grim.

Our sponsors ghosted us. We're back to square one with that. Admittedly, we took a long time to get paperwork over, complicated by having to move our family to a new address and restarting the paperwork process. We also didn't want to give up on the missing eight...

Over the last 4-6 weeks, we've lost contact with about 900 others. We hope for the best, but it's concerning. My sister-in-law is fairly sure the guy she was trying to get out was killed along with his family in Khost Province.

The good-ish news is that we have family here in the States, who is going to take responsibility for seven we have in a third country. That's big news.

I'm working with a couple other governments on ways to help the nine we still have safe and sound. There are some promising leads. Fortunately, the money that you all helped raise is a huge help in getting them through the winter, which is really cold where they are.

@BTTA I did not forget your PM. It's been crazy (and Covid-y) for a while. I'll respond soon!

 

[BTTA]

Dude, reading that...was tough. There were some bits of information I didn't know that really pissed me off, and reading about those crazy days from August 15-August 30, which were just a non-stop barrage of desperation, frantic shifts in priority, and caffiene with lack of sleep...it brought it all back. And honestly, I feel like we've failed so far...so many are still stuck there...

I have updates, but they're mostly grim.

We lost eight people. We don't have contact with them. We lost the guy we had found. No word for weeks. The eight were in Pakistan and then disappeared. We like to joke that maybe they're neck deep in hookers in blow in the Netherlands and don't have time to update us, but the reality is likely far more grim.

Our sponsors ghosted us. We're back to square one with that. Admittedly, we took a long time to get paperwork over, complicated by having to move our family to a new address and restarting the paperwork process. We also didn't want to give up on the missing eight...

Over the last 4-6 weeks, we've lost contact with about 900 others. We hope for the best, but it's concerning. My sister-in-law is fairly sure the guy she was trying to get out was killed along with his family in Khost Province.

The good-ish news is that we have family here in the States, who is going to take responsibility for seven we have in a third country. That's big news.

I'm working with a couple other governments on ways to help the nine we still have safe and sound. There are some promising leads. Fortunately, the money that you all helped raise is a huge help in getting them through the winter, which is really cold where they are.

@BTTA I did not forget your PM. It's been crazy (and Covid-y) for a while. I'll respond soon!

Sounds like, despite the horror and frustration, you still have your feet under you and your wits about you. Just that is an accomplishment. Sorry if it was bad timing on this.

I wasn't surprised at how inept and irresponsible every Presidential administration has been with this, and how disinterested Congress has been. I was a bit surprised that Afghan immigration got caught up in White House xenophobia. That takes it to another level of intentionality.

I'm still able to help a little if that's needed. I've noticed local activity to help has even gotten into Next Door.

I look forward to a time when you can respond to the PM. We got takeaway from there a few nights ago and it got me thinking of you and yours.

 

[Triumph]

Dude, reading that...was tough. There were some bits of information I didn't know that really pissed me off, and reading about those crazy days from August 15-August 30, which were just a non-stop barrage of desperation, frantic shifts in priority, and caffiene with lack of sleep...it brought it all back. And honestly, I feel like we've failed so far...so many are still stuck there...

I have updates, but they're mostly grim.

We lost eight people. We don't have contact with them. We lost the guy we had found. No word for weeks. The eight were in Pakistan and then disappeared. We like to joke that maybe they're neck deep in hookers in blow in the Netherlands and don't have time to update us, but the reality is likely far more grim.

Our sponsors ghosted us. We're back to square one with that. Admittedly, we took a long time to get paperwork over, complicated by having to move our family to a new address and restarting the paperwork process. We also didn't want to give up on the missing eight...

Over the last 4-6 weeks, we've lost contact with about 900 others. We hope for the best, but it's concerning. My sister-in-law is fairly sure the guy she was trying to get out was killed along with his family in Khost Province.

The good-ish news is that we have family here in the States, who is going to take responsibility for seven we have in a third country. That's big news.

I'm working with a couple other governments on ways to help the nine we still have safe and sound. There are some promising leads. Fortunately, the money that you all helped raise is a huge help in getting them through the winter, which is really cold where they are.

@BTTA I did not forget your PM. It's been crazy (and Covid-y) for a while. I'll respond soon!

Hey Nik

Im very sad to see that some people are lost. You have not failed and hopefully the truth will eventually get out.

 

[PP2]

Dude, reading that...was tough. There were some bits of information I didn't know that really pissed me off, and reading about those crazy days from August 15-August 30, which were just a non-stop barrage of desperation, frantic shifts in priority, and caffiene with lack of sleep...it brought it all back. And honestly, I feel like we've failed so far...so many are still stuck there...

I have updates, but they're mostly grim.

We lost eight people. We don't have contact with them. We lost the guy we had found. No word for weeks. The eight were in Pakistan and then disappeared. We like to joke that maybe they're neck deep in hookers in blow in the Netherlands and don't have time to update us, but the reality is likely far more grim.

Our sponsors ghosted us. We're back to square one with that. Admittedly, we took a long time to get paperwork over, complicated by having to move our family to a new address and restarting the paperwork process. We also didn't want to give up on the missing eight...

Over the last 4-6 weeks, we've lost contact with about 900 others. We hope for the best, but it's concerning. My sister-in-law is fairly sure the guy she was trying to get out was killed along with his family in Khost Province.

The good-ish news is that we have family here in the States, who is going to take responsibility for seven we have in a third country. That's big news.

I'm working with a couple other governments on ways to help the nine we still have safe and sound. There are some promising leads. Fortunately, the money that you all helped raise is a huge help in getting them through the winter, which is really cold where they are.

@BTTA I did not forget your PM. It's been crazy (and Covid-y) for a while. I'll respond soon!

Keep fighting man. We're here for you.

 

[Nikolai]

Sounds like, despite the horror and frustration, you still have your feet under you and your wits about you. Just that is an accomplishment. Sorry if it was bad timing on this.

I wasn't surprised at how inept and irresponsible every Presidential administration has been with this, and how disinterested Congress has been. I was a bit surprised that Afghan immigration got caught up in White House xenophobia. That takes it to another level of intentionality.

I'm still able to help a little if that's needed. I've noticed local activity to help has even gotten into Next Door.

I look forward to a time when you can respond to the PM. We got takeaway from there a few nights ago and it got me thinking of you and yours.

Thank you man. It means a lot. Hard to believe that some of what we suspected was going on in Washington was actually worse than we thought. There are a lot of ramifications for this, right as we're saying we're going to help Ukraine. If I'm the Ukrainians, that's cold comfort...

We will definitely chat. Looking forward to it.

Hey Nik

Im very sad to see that some people are lost. You have not failed and hopefully the truth will eventually get out.

It's tough, especially when you know the horror of what these people likely faced in their last moments. Not fair at all. I think the truth is slowly getting out there, and not to get political, but I'm concerned that people are conditioned to expect horrible things from our government, regardless of who's in charge. We need to expect and demand better.

Keep fighting man. We're here for you.

Thank you so much. It really, truly means a lot. The whole family is touched by the support.

 

[PP2]

Thank you man. It means a lot. Hard to believe that some of what we suspected was going on in Washington was actually worse than we thought. There are a lot of ramifications for this, right as we're saying we're going to help Ukraine. If I'm the Ukrainians, that's cold comfort...

America has totally destroyed its credibility with the nations it professes to "save" from anti-democracy. It began with Vietnam and and culminated with Afghanistan. So it's no surprise that the president of Ukraine refuses to side with Washington.

You're not the only one who's angry about that.

 

[BTTA]

America has totally destroyed its credibility with the nations it professes to "save" from anti-democracy. It began with Vietnam and and culminated with Afghanistan. So it's no surprise that the president of Ukraine refuses to side with Washington.

You're not the only one who's angry about that.

I mean, it really started in the first half of the last century in Latin America. I have letters from my grandmother talking about her newlywed husband was heading overseas as a Marine officer to "solve the world's mistakes", which in this case was Nicaragua.

 

[PP2]

I mean, it really started in the first half of the last century in Latin America. I have letters from my grandmother talking about her newlywed husband was heading overseas as a Marine officer to "solve the world's mistakes", which in this case was Nicaragua.

Our imperialism started during the Teddy Roosevelt presidency when we ran out of spaces to conquer, out west. We first set sight on the Phillipines and it all started from there with Roosevelt's parading of our naval powers around the world ("Speak softly and carry a big stick.").

The infamous "White Man's Burden" era in American history was then born.

 

[DaBruinz]

@Nikolai - Words can't say enough for what you've been going through.. I think I can speak for most of us in saying that we wish there was more we could do. If my business was up and running, I'd be in a position to offer sponsorship as well as jobs. However, thanks to our "illustrious leader" re-implementing Operation Chokepoint, my business funding is on hold again.

 

[Nikolai]

Updates:

So there's some movement on a third option with a completely, "sorta" random third country. It pays to make good friends everywhere you go, I guess. It'll involve some craziness, some luck, money of course, and having the next couple weeks pan out the way we want, but there is a third country willing to take them in. Whether we can get them to the States from there is up in the air, but this country is willing to keep them! That'd be huge!! Especially since the US could take years to come to a decision, let alone approve them.

It was just in time too...they were losing hope and said they'd rather take their chances/die in Afghanistan than continue facing hardship and uncertainty in the country they're in now. Sadly, this is a common theme a lot of us are hearing from families we got out to third countries. I've even heard this from Afghan families in camps in the US. They know they face starvation and death squads in Afghanistan, but they'd rather die than keep going. It's a good reminder for us to keep their spirits high throughout all this...these are people in fear and despair and the nightmare hasn't ended for several months.

Thank you for everyone who still checks this thread and keeps up with all this, and especially for the donations. It's housing and feeding these people, who would otherwise have already likely died. You saved their lives. Thank you.

 

[Kontradiction]

Updates:

So there's some movement on a third option with a completely, "sorta" random third country. It pays to make good friends everywhere you go, I guess. It'll involve some craziness, some luck, money of course, and having the next couple weeks pan out the way we want, but there is a third country willing to take them in. Whether we can get them to the States from there is up in the air, but this country is willing to keep them! That'd be huge!! Especially since the US could take years to come to a decision, let alone approve them.

It was just in time too...they were losing hope and said they'd rather take their chances/die in Afghanistan than continue facing hardship and uncertainty in the country they're in now. Sadly, this is a common theme a lot of us are hearing from families we got out to third countries. I've even heard this from Afghan families in camps in the US. They know they face starvation and death squads in Afghanistan, but they'd rather die than keep going. It's a good reminder for us to keep their spirits high throughout all this...these are people in fear and despair and the nightmare hasn't ended for several months.

Thank you for everyone who still checks this thread and keeps up with all this, and especially for the donations. It's housing and feeding these people, who would otherwise have already likely died. You saved their lives. Thank you.

Do you have another crowdfunding platform aside from GFM? I’d love to donate again.

 

[Nikolai]

Do you have another crowdfunding platform aside from GFM? I’d love to donate again.

I don't as of right now, but I've heard that GFM has fallen out of favor (given my own experience, I can understand why). I've heard GiveSendGo is supposed to be a popular alternative, but do you have any other suggestions that people would trust?

Thank you so much!

 

[DaBruinz]

I don't as of right now, but I've heard that GFM has fallen out of favor (given my own experience, I can understand why). I've heard GiveSendGo is supposed to be a popular alternative, but do you have any other suggestions that people would trust?

Thank you so much!

Please note: This is NOT a political post. Please don't respond with politics.


GiveSendGo was just hacked recently because they picked up doing donations for the "Freedom Convoy" after GoFundMe decided that they didn't want to be a part of it. I'm not sure what GiveSendGo has done, security wise, to fix the issues. I would hope that no one would try and use your fundraiser for them in a political manner, but there is no telling these days..

 

[BTTA]

I don't as of right now, but I've heard that GFM has fallen out of favor (given my own experience, I can understand why). I've heard GiveSendGo is supposed to be a popular alternative, but do you have any other suggestions that people would trust?

Thank you so much!

Nikolai, this might be helpful. This site generally does a good job of unbiased reviews. One of these might fit.

9 Unique Crowdfunding Platforms for Nonprofit Fundraising

Our list of 9 unique crowdfunding platforms for nonprofits lists the unique features and costs of each option, so you can decide which is best for your org.

blog.capterra.com