by Mary Coffey AMMM                                          Ireland                              22.01.2025

Editor’s Note:   Mary gave me this story some months ago.  I thought it was appropriate as we are starting out a new year on our pilgrimage of hope.

Two parents, five brothers and two sisters. These are members of Karima’s family. Karima is a young Afghan woman who had previously shared my home in Ireland, and whom I love dearly. Her family are under threat from the Taliban. The Taliban (or the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) have given instruction to their local members” to find all members of Karima’s family as soon as possible, arrest them alive, or destroy them, as they have worked with infidels against Islam. And God bless you.” (Taliban’s words. The “infidels” were an American development organisation working with local Afghan people.)

An opportunity had arisen to bring them to Ireland. What to do now? I had a bare five weeks before setting off in August on a long holiday to Tanzania and Kenya, visiting MMMs. I reached out to a key contact for encouragement. The advice was that what I envisaged was unworkable. I accepted that advice and went to bed. The next day I went to Mass. Our now retired parish priest, Fr John, has for over twenty years nourished my prayer with his love of scripture and his short and simple introduction to each reading. He always ‘primed’ me to listen more carefully and be to ready to receive the Word. On this day he introduced the reading from the Book of Exodus by saying that God had such compassion for the plight of his people in captivity in Egypt that he declared he had the strength to do something about it. And the passage from Exodus (3:17) was: God said to Moses “…I declare that I will bring you up out of the misery of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, … a land flowing with milk and honey.’ Exodus 3:17. And my own resolve was called forth! “I have resolved to bring you up out of Afghanistan where you were oppressed and in hiding for fear of your lives.”

A new Community Sponsorship Group was needed to support Karima’s family. I needed to gather people with new vision and new energy, before leaving for Tanzania. I was “out on the highways and byways, inviting people to the wedding feast,” looking for people to commit to accompanying this family for the first two years of their lives in Ireland. A detailed Settlement Plan needed to be drawn up. It should have been a collaborative effort, but I hadn’t time for collaboration! Just get it done. We were expected to raise a minimum of €10,000. There was no time for fundraising, but I managed to convince the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, IRPP, to trust me on that one. The money will be found. There is an acute housing shortage in Ireland and finding a house at short notice to provide a home for a refugee family of 10 people was well-nigh impossible. Without a house, our application would be rejected. However, I had “set my hand to the plough” and was not going to turn back now. I had real difficulty in convincing the IRPP that I was serious when I said that I intend to vacate my own home and go to stay with a friend so that our Community Sponsorship Group, which we call “Haven of Hope,” will be able to welcome Karima’s family.

Then we got word to expect their arrival on November 22nd. It was a day of great joy, but they had to leave Afghanistan for the protection of UNHCR in Iran. Some people see my decision to give up my home as extraordinary. I disagree. I found a way to help this large family who are under threat from Taliban, and I trust that I will be back in my home in six to nine months. A house will be found for them. Never again in my lifetime will I have such an opportunity to contribute to the transformation of the lives of ten people (including Karima) beyond their wildest imagining.  The inconvenience to me is minimal in that context.  Deep joy and contentment are mine.