2023 - Q4

Friends,

This newsletter is from Joe Mitchell of the Idaho Falls Bridge Builders, and is an update on refugees in Idaho Falls.  

Uniting for Ukraine family update

Grandmother N permanently returned to the Ukraine.  Her mission in the US was to assist the family at the time of her grandson’s birth.  Mother and baby are doing well, and mission accomplished, Grandmother returned to her husband, other grandchildren and beloved 20-acre family farm.  

Some have asked how close she is to the active conflict.  Fortunately her farm is in Volyn oblast, in northwest Ukraine, away from the front lines.

Father D has continued work as a tiler for a local construction company.  He has many years of commercial/industrial tiling experience and just last week incorporated an LLC which will allow him to seek additional work.  If you would like to consider  him for tiling work please contact him directly: dmitry170713@gmail.com, 208-760-6485. His spoken English is improving fast but you may want to use email or Whatsapp for communicating details.  He is also looking for a used enclosed trailer to buy for his tools and materials.

Father and mother continue to study English at CEI.

Operation Allies Welcome (Afghan pilots)

There is great news, which is that G and R have just received asylum.  M interviewed two months later and has not heard back yet.  Asylum allows the men to apply for green cards and petition for their wives to join them in the US.  The bad news is that the family reunification process is estimated to take another 2-3 years.

All three young men continue to work and attend classes.  Through scholarships, employer contributions, and your donations, their college fees for the 23-24 school year are covered.  

R recorded a podcast with the Idaho Office of Refugees about his experiences in the US which is available here:  https://mosaics.castos.com/episodes/afghan-veterans-experience-resettling-in-idaho-falls

The pilots are helping some friends furnish an apartment and asked me to ask if anyone has a good condition bed to donate.

Perspective

I have mentioned in previous newsletters that in most cases refugees are an economic benefit to their communities, work in high-demand jobs, and pay back more in taxes than they initially receive in benefits.  The adults who have resettled  in Idaho Falls now include two Certified Nursing Assistants, one Electrical Engineering intern, and a new construction subcontractor. The only adult without a full-time job has a new baby and cares for her special needs five-year-old.

Bridge Builders

Kim and I have had some speaking opportunities and meetings to help some others in Idaho learn about Private Sponsorship Organizations (Welcome Corps).  We personally are waiting for the roll-out of the second phase of the Welcome Corps to decide about who and how to sponsor next.  https://welcomecorps.org/  We continue to hope that we can help be a part of family reunification for the pilots.

Footer

Joe Mitchell, Nov 12, 2023,  Idaho Falls Bridge Builders - Our mission is to assist legal refugees who choose to relocate to Idaho Falls, and to assist the community in welcoming them. 

https://sites.google.com/view/idaho-falls-bridge-builders/home

(If you don’t want to receive these quarterly newsletters just let me know.)

PS - In the spirit of free-market enterprise, Kim and I would like to let you know that we have both recently published books for young people on Amazon.  They are not specifically about refugees but do try to help young people have a high view of other cultures.  This is my third book, and Kim’s second.  

Kara and the Little Green Frog: https://amz.run/7J5u

Credo: https://amz.run/7J5v