Welcoming Our New Neighbors - WONN
SJC/STA Collaborative Afghan Resettlement Assistance Program
WONN Update February 8, 2022
Over the past week it was a great pleasure to deliver hand-made cards of welcome from the children at St. Theresa’s School. A few days later, on another visit, the men proudly showed me a display they had made of the cards now taped to a cupboard in their kitchen. Several of the cards mentioned favorite things about Boston including, of course, Fenway Park and the Red Sox and the New England Aquarium. They are now, with all of Boston, looking forward to Spring and taking in a game at Fenway! The men asked that their heartfelt thanks be extended to the children for their words of welcome!
New volunteers and your kind donations for WONN (Welcoming Our New Neighbors) are gratefully received. Please contact Barbara Thorp for more info 617-921-3169.
Please read the below message from WONN Program Coordinator, Barbara Thorp:
Monday, January 24, 2022 was a day like no other for the St. Theresa of Avila/St. John Chrysostom Parish Collaborative! After several weeks of intense preparations at the parish house at 4740 Washington Street, made possible by many volunteers, staff and generous donations both financial and furnishings, we were ready to welcome our new neighbors. These men all worked for the US military in some capacity and have been waiting for several months at an extended stay hotel in Braintree under the auspices of the Catholic Charities resettlement program.
After unloading the cars and with bags and assorted belongings scattered on the kitchen floor before doing anything else, the men insisted that we sit at the dining room table and let them serve us tea and a treat of nuts and figs. The tea that they served was not the Lipton they have been drinking since their arrival in the US. They brewed a delicate tea from Afghanistan and shared photos of their beautiful children and extended families. They told us of their hopes and dreams for a new life in the US and to one day reunite with their families. They love football aka soccer, they love music, playing the drums, and they love to bike and swim. They are eager to learn English and to find employment.
They have experienced a traumatic and tumultuous exodus from their country and their families. We could not have imagined last summer, as we watched the terrifying images from Kabul as thousands were desperately fleeing, that five months later we would be privileged to welcome these five Afghani men to Boston.
As we were driving to West Roxbury I was asked if I could turn on the radio. It was a country station that my granddaughter enjoys. The refrain of the song in classic country twang was, “I can be happy anywhere with you!”
May the Holy Spirit provide every good gift and hearts ready to be generous to ensure the happiness of our new neighbors from across the world.
We are deeply grateful to the many parishioners who have already been generous with financial donations with some making a monthly pledge of support. Checks can be included in the weekly collection payable to the parish and designated on the memo line for Afghan Neighbors Support. The St Theresa of Avila and St John Chrysostom websites will both feature a donation button for those who prefer to donate through their credit card. Volunteers are also needed to socialize with the men, to assist with shopping, ESL and many other developing needs. Please be in touch with Barbara Thorp if you would like to volunteer: 617-921-3169.