We are happy to share a beautiful update on our Afghan refugee family- Fraidoon, Nadia’s husband, is now in Charleston! But let us back this story up to make sure everyone understands the Paikan family journey and MPPC’s commitment to refugees. It all began in early 2022 with Bruce McAdams and others from the MPPC Mission Team responding to an announcement from Lutheran Services, a refugee resettlement organization. They were asking for potential volunteers to attend an information session on Circles of Welcome and what was needed to help refugees arriving in our area. It was not long before Bruce received a call from Lutheran Services asking if he could pick up a young woman from a medical appointment. This is how we met Nadia! This was early fall 2022. Nadia fled Afghanistan in September 2021 with a 9-yr old, 6-yr old, 1-yr old and a 2-week-old infant with the assurance that her husband was meeting her at the airport or following her as quickly as he could. No one ever dreamed that it would take over 3 years for Fraidoon to reunite with his family!
As soon as Bruce shared Nadia’s story, MPPC and Providence Church agreed we had to help! We decided to call ourselves Friends of Nadia. We have three members from Providence, three members from MPPC and the Lutheran Services Case Worker. At that time, Nadia was living in North Charleston and the two boys, Sudais and Taib, attended Chicora Elementary. Nadia was working at a restaurant and the girls, Mobara and Asra, were in daycare provided by Lutheran Services. We had amazing volunteers driving Nadia and the girls every day. The Friends of Nadia quickly determined that Nadia would not be able to support herself anytime soon as a single mother. Rent and daycare costs were astronomical, and she was making $10/hour. Lutheran Services would soon be ending their financial support, and the math did not work.
Thankfully, God answered our prayers, and Nadia was able to move in June 2023 to West Ashley into an income-based apartment. This also placed the children in a much better school system. We reached out to Westminster Presbyterian Church and a member of their mission team took over transportation management. We had hoped that Asra, the youngest, would be in Early Head Start so Nadia could start working again but that did not happen. Our prayer is Head Start acceptance for Asra August 2025. Mobara was accepted into the 4K program and is doing great. God has been answering prayers all along the way and allowed Sudais to join a soccer team, a sport he LOVES, and provided two amazing tutors for the boys.
The kids are now 12, 10, 4 and 3 yrs old. Sudais is 7th grade, Taib is 4th grade, Mobara is 4k, and Asra is still at home. So, you can only imagine their excitement when they learned that their father was finally coming home! In November 2024, Lutheran Services received confirmation from the US Immigration Office that Fraidoon was heading to Qatar for his final interview with the US Embassy before boarding a plane to America. The family was overjoyed! The Friends of Nadia team had a small Welcome Home party for Fraidoon right before Christmas. A more recent answer to prayer is Fraidoon’s new job! He started working at the airport in late January. Fraidoon worked at the airport in Afghanistan and the airport was his number 1 choice for employment.
There is still much to be done but our hearts are full of optimism as we know there is hope for this family now that Nadia has Fraidoon with her and the children have their father. We continue to ask for prayers and financial support as it will take time for Fraidoon to acclimate to his new home, earn enough to support his family, and overcome the everyday challenges that all families encounter.
Our work is far from over and stay tuned to learn more about another Afghan family that Lutheran Services has brought to our attention. Thankfully, Providence Church is fully onboard, and we ask for MPPC to prayerfully consider our commitment to the Paikan Family and the new family who desperately need our help.
Thank you for all of your prayers and support,
MPPC Friends of Nadia Team: Bruce McAdams, Coleman Legerton and Maryanne Davis