This month, I’m pulling together some of the topics I’ve discussed in my past few posts.
FROM AFGHANISTAN INTO HIDING
(Or Evacuated to Canada)
Over the last few months, I’ve spoken about the women cyclists of Afghanistan. To date, they are not allowed to ride bicycles or go to school in the country. Many are not back at their jobs. The Taliban is not living up to its promises — although, I’m not certain anyone really believed they would.
The original 25 women who were evacuated by my friend and colleague Shannon Galpin are FINALLY heading to Canada after seven months in limbo in the UAE. Once in Canada, they will begin rebuilding their lives.
Since then, there are 80 more cyclists who are being safeguarded around the globe and another 70 in safe houses still in Afghanistan who are waiting for the right time to leave. Most are in hiding.
The situation becomes more dire as resources in and to Afghanistan dwindle and, with the world focusing on Ukraine, we might forget the Afghans for a time.
If you want to help, here is what Shannon says and a link to the current fundraising organization:
“All of the fundraising is going directly through the human rights organization iProbono who will be handling all of the funds as it’s a registered charity! I am working with them to ensure a long-term oversight for the safeguarding of the cyclists and ongoing evacuations. “ Go to: fundly.com/support-afghan-cyclists
FROM RUSSIA TO ISRAEL
In my most recent post, I spoke of my friend Dmitry. As you may remember, he left Russia at the urging of his family and fled to Israel. There he is beginning to start a new life.
His family FINALLY made it out of Russia a couple of weeks ago – his wife, children, mother, mother-in-law and the family dog all arrived safely in Tel Aviv.
They are living up north in the Haifa area and have recently rented a small apartment.
Now, Dmitry is trying to find simple things he can afford – beds for the kids, chairs for their apartment, and other basics. The people of Israel are generous, but he is new to the country as are many hundreds of other Jews fleeing eastern Europe and the resources will run thin. At this time, there are no direct efforts to help Dmitry and his family.
FROM OREGON TO UKRAINE
In my April 9 podcast, I spoke with a colleague of mine who lives in Medford, Oregon. She and I lived fairly parallel professional lives in the bicycle industry for many years but never really had a chance to get to “know” each other.
Estelle Gray has connections in Ukraine who needed her help; they are her and her wife’s employees.
Wondering what she could dot help, she figured out that she could sew and made a Ukrainian flag that she took to a rally in their small town. She also made a few dozen lapel pins.
As people came up to her, asking to buy a flag from her and she gave away all the pins, the local paper caught wind of the effort and ran a story about her.
Now, she has dozens of people all over the U.S. sewing flags and making pins. All the money collected will be sent to the Red Cross to get much-needed medical supplies to the front lines in Ukraine. Her website is: ukraineflags.org/. There, you can buy a flag or pin and get instructions on how to sew the flags and more.
FROM US TO THEM
I know there are dozens, maybe hundreds of these types of selfless efforts to help. But what I tend to ponder most is how I am so lucky to live in the U.S. – a free citizen of the world.
I’m able to turn on a tap and clean hot or cold water comes streaming out. I am able to walk outside and not fear a bomb or missile is being targeted at my community. And, I have a full belly every day.
I often wonder how, in this rich country of ours, we tend to argue about petty things. With so much rancor, vitriol, and selfishness, it feels as if we’ve gotten very far off-track from what we really want or who we really are.
As Jonathan Sacks says in Optimism to Hope, “Acts of kindness never die. They linger in the memory, giving life to other acts in return.”
Be kind. And keep the people of Afghanistan, Ukraine, and yes, even the people of Russia, in your good thoughts and intentions.
Image courtesy pexels.com
