Meet the family

Saint Philip’s refugee family arrived in Tucson a week ago, Thursday, December 9. They are in a hotel temporarily and will eventually move into an apartment that Saint Philip’s volunteers are preparing for them.

There are five members: father, Aladdin; mother, Javin; 13 year old son, Ahmed; 12 year old daughter, Leyla; and, 8 year old daughter, Rojhat.

Two of Saint Philip’s volunteers, Chelsea Bailey and Julia Rochon, visited the family with an interpreter provided by Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. While quite tired and anxious to settle in more permanently, the family is happy to be in Tucson. They expressed gratitude for any help that Saint Philip’s will provide.

They are ethnically Kurdish and originally from Syria. According to the caseworker, the family has moved a few times. They have lived in Amman, Jordan (near the Syrian border) and—just before arriving in Tucson—were in Iran. The family speaks Kurdish and Arabic, and everyone is eager to begin learning English.

The interpreter told Saint Philip’s volunteers that there are other families without sponsors to help them adjust to life in the United States. Although helping those families is beyond Saint Philip’s scope right now, Chelsea asks that all these newcomers to America be in our prayers.

Volunteers are working to prepare the apartment.

Saint Philip’s volunteers left to right: Gary Huckleberry, Jane Prescott-Smith, Liz Wood, Jacqui Johns, Brad Johns, and Leah Sandwell-Weiss. Photograph by Ayden Carrell

When the family has moved in and is settled, volunteers will arrange a welcome meal. Stay tuned!

If you would like to join the volunteer team, contact Dcn Leah Sandwell-Weiss at lsandwellweiss@gmail.com.