Mohammed Family

Hello, my name is Sarah Resnick from Encinitas, CA. We all know about the horrific things happening in Syria and the surrounding region. It's hard for me to even watch or read the news because I feel so helpless. I knew I wanted to do something but didn't know what or how. So I was happy to discover heart4refugees.org, an amazing organization that helps support displaced families through a variety of means, such as fundraising, providing household items, assisting in finding jobs, and simply working to help families become part of the community and make new friends.

I signed up to volunteer as soon as I found out about this organization. Shortly after my application I was matched with my "adopted" family. The Mohammed family fled from Iraq to Turkey, then went through the long process to finally come to the US. They arrived in December 2016, with very limited belongings and minimal support. During the long and stressful process of seeking refuge, the father suffered what seems to have been a stroke, and is no longer able to use the right side of his body and cannot work. The mother is now the main caretaker of him and their 3 school-age daughters. They also have an older son who is in his 20’s. He speaks English fairly well as he took an interest in learning on his own, but he wasn't able to stay in the small apartment with the rest of his family, however he was able to find a place to stay with roommates in Chula Vista and now works at a Subway in Coronado. He hopes to someday go to college to study psychology, but in the meantime he works as many hours as he can. After rent and car insurance he gives whatever small amount is left over to his family. His car is the only car between them.

When I went to meet them, despite there being a language barrier (the translator came about 5 mins after I arrived), they were so welcoming and friendly! The girls all happily said "hi!" and they put out their arms asking to hold Wiley (my 4 month old son). I gladly handed him over and he was all smiles with all that attention. Elsie, my 3 yr old daughter didn't come with me that day, but she will love playing with them when we go back. The father and mother were very welcoming and offered me fruit and really delicious tea. The girls talked about school and how it's hard to make friends because of the language barrier, but they are learning. One of the girls said she has a friend she really likes but they only are able to say "hi" and "bye" to each other. During our conversation the mother easily rocked Wiley to sleep.

Their apartment is very small with only the bare minimum. They asked for help getting very basic items such as a vacuum and washing machine (they didn't even ask for a dryer even though they do need one), but the main thing they need is money for rent and other basic needs like clothes and household items. They would love to eventually get a car as well, the mother just passed her driving test.

As of right now, they don't leave their apartment very often, other than the girls going to school. Being displaced in such an unfamiliar place with no way to easily communicate must be such a scary and overwhelming feeling. I will try my best to show them what a wonderful place San Diego is and how there are many caring people here. I hope to take the kids to a few fun places and hopefully help them learn English.

This family, my new friends, are such wonderful people and I hope they can eventually feel at home here in the US. Please consider a donation of any size to help them. I'm hoping to provide them with a years rent and possibly a used mini van and to help them to feel welcome and supported while they are adjusting to this new life they were forced into.