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!