An Unbelievable Love Story?

Operation Hope Discussion
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Oh, and as for the new job, boring. I don’t have much access to anything in the system yet, because it’s slow. I have email and I can look at some forms and whatnot, but that’s about it. I should have more access as of tomorrow (Friday). My office handles Emergency Assistance which covers rental, power/water, and funeral expenses, but it is only for families, and maybe disabled. We also do SNAP, TANF (cash assistance for working families with children), and Medicaid for the Aged, Blind, & Disabled, but mostly it’s the Emergency Assistance because those cases are complicated.

The location is lovely in a historic town here in Maryland. We have some good food places around us that are local and not fast food. Everyone is really nice, and they’re eager to put my unwavering passion to work because I believe in the work as I’m like a super empath.

I mean, I focus on Palestine, and honestly I love getting those updates. I see more info about Palestine from people who live there, but I think those stories are too dark for Ana because they’re just sad. I watched a live TikTok of a teen who had a bomb hit 100 meters from his home. The sound was horrifying, his house shook, dust flew, and he nearly slammed his head on his desk to take cover. Then there’s the mutilation of children, like a father holding the head of his son, saying goodbye.

It’s on Instagram, and it’s rough, but people are ignoring this. I share it but nobody I know really cares sadly.

We get a number of refugees at my office, too. I love helping those families. I hope I get Palestinian refugees, but I honestly don’t know if any chose to leave, and even if they did, I don’t think we took any in because of Trump.

Anyway, yeah, things are going well for me. My partner, or future partner, is anxious and nervous and sad about him leaving. He’s leaving behind his mother and sisters, but they want him to have a chance. I told him that once he’s set and we are together, I will work with him to get them out as it will be easier to apply for them to leave once citizenship is obtained. Not sure if Canada has that same rule, but I know it does here. Still uncertain if I want to bring him a year after being in Canada or me go there.

Just a lot to think about and I’m trying to balance him, work, support to Palestinians I follow and interact with, and my mental health. I’ll keep updating as we have more info.

The one thing I wish he and I did have was a mutual account we could access, but Afghanistan, and also Iran, do not use something like Venmo, or at least not something that the US also uses. Worst case scenario, and something happens to him, I could pay back my friend, but honestly, I don’t care about that. There’s no price that would have dissuaded me from helping him. I’d work through my afterlife if it meant saving him.

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Update: He’s in Iran. I successfully got him out of Afghanistan. Now we are stuck. Rainbow Railroad has not responded to him since he arrived and GoFundMe chose to close my account because they don’t support those countries.

I don’t know what to do. Iran isn’t really safe for Afghans and with the looming threat of Israel, I mean Trump, there is an even greater scare.

The application process is too complicated and confusing and we can’t afford help. Due to how Iran is, he can’t apply as a refugee there. He has to seek asylum within a country and we don’t know how to get him there.

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With no help from the agency that is supposed to help us, we chose to act on our own. Honestly, I don’t know if Rainbow Railroad is going to reply as they probably think we’re lying and he’s pretending to be gay to get out. Afghans let alone most from that region of the world wouldn’t even fake that to save their own lives. They seem to rather suffer their hardship than pretend to be gay.

Anyway, we applied for a UK Visa. There’s an embassy there in Tehran, and we need to get out of that area. He has to go in to give his biometrics and then it’s about 2 weeks for results. I think an interview has to be done, too. He doesn’t have cell service and depends on wifi. He’s apparently sleeping in a closed shop because it’s closed for Eid.

I have my information provided to the UK immigration folks and his, and I stated that he will have to do the interview at a location such as the embassy because he doesn’t have a working phone. This is so difficult. I almost wanted to give up, but if I did that, he wouldn’t make it. He’s scared and he’s lost in more than one way. I don’t know how this will end and I’m scared, too.

If we get to UK, we applied for a visitor’s visa, but we don’t know anyone there. And I’m not sure if he can get to Canada from there as an asylum seeker. I thought I knew folks out there, but I don’t know if they could host/house him.

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Sorry for the delayed response; I’m having some health issues. My heart goes out to you! I know there’s nothing I can do or say. Have you checked out the other discussions? It can help get your mind on other things and make some connections. :woman_shrugging::heart:

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I thought I replied to this. I am sorry. I hope you are better. I have stayed focusing on work, Palestine, and my partner. I updated it with a new post here:

In short, we got lucky, but I don’t like this. I’m terrified. I hoped Pakistan would be better/safer. It was not nearly this close in Afghanistan nor Iran.

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I’ve not been doing well and haven’t been on the discussion boards for quite a while. Sorry for my late response. Has there been any more (hopefully good) news?

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I’m sorry you have not been doing well. I hope it is something that you can recover from!

We had quite the adventure.

He sadly was denied his visa to Canada, shortly after I contacted the PM in hopes they would direct me to someone who could show empathy. No such thing. In fact, days after I did that, he was denied. Connection? Likely not.

He’s back in Afghanistan, but can’t return home. His mom and sisters knew he was gay, but the sisters, as adorable as they are young (and naive) told the rest of the family, and they’re not so friendly.

So he’s not far from home, but not near, to avoid attention. We have something going on, but just the chance that the wrong person stumbles upon this, I can’t give the details. The short version is that we will have an answer in 3-4 months.

I just hope that the Taliban stays out of everything because I do not want that to be a new obstacle.

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I’m so sorry that you’re both going through all of this! My heart hasn’t been great this year (March 5-7 of this year, I had 5 heart attacks in 48 hours), and I’ll need open heart surgery, but the insurance company is making me jump through a bunch of hoops. Anyway, I’m sending you both much love, and I hope you keep me posted. :orange_heart:

(In case you want to check it out.)

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I saw you on TYT today. I had a late start to the show so I just watched to the end.

I do not have the memory of it, but I can relate to your situation, personally and impersonally actually.

So personally, I was born with a bad heart. I should have died in 1985. Doomed to have multiple surgeries but ultimately not have a long life. I was denied health coverage, I was not able to get helped. One doctor however worked on my heart, and I am still alive, 40 years later. He said I was his “miracle baby”. I remember getting the echo whatever things, where my heart could be seen on that old monitor and it looked like a blue weather balloon. I never endured any of the later things, but open heart surgery folks always hit me in the heart, because I get it.

As for him, the impersonal part, and also recent, whilst he was looking for work in Kabul, he was hit by a motorcyclist who apparently took off. Messed up his knee, dislocated it. Of course no insurance, and he needed an MRI and they want $500. So we gave them his last $189, because no more money. This venture has been so costly, and for the most part, the money is not going to him. So I have to pay the remainder of the $500.

I mean, couldn’t it have happened like just before he was approved to leave, so Canada insurance could fix it? He’s ok now, with some thing that will help reset his knee. But yeah, we had to jump through hoops and practically beg to get them to help him.

Now he’s back with his mother and sisters, and they are very hush hush about him being there because they know he’s gay and are fine, but the rest of the family knows and they are not fine with that, and that’s very dangerous, even towards immediate family members.

I’ll read your post. I saw you say hi today, as I said. I have just been so overwhelmed and then I see things like this and don’t get on to reply.

Stress about my partner, stress about my friends in Gaza, rooting for Iran to “convince” the people of Israel to leave, and then this stupid bill which may kill my job because I work for the government, passed in the senate, not sure about the house, but it could get me fired because of budget cuts. State employees are fine and not going to be terminated, but I’m contractual.

I’m sure there’s “me time” in there. Anyway, I wish you could maybe get to Canada to see if they’d help. I don’t know if that’s a thing, but I have no hope here. I mean, we have it ok compared to other places, but still, it used to not be this bad, right?

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I’m so sorry about your heart, and about everything else going on! You have so much going on and I wish I could help you feel better. You are exceptionally strong and courageous, and while it might not seem to help now, that is how you’ll get through all of ths. I didn’t realize I was on TV (that’s embarrassing). Did I make a total fool of myself? :woman_facepalming:

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You being alive and kind and being a good person makes me feel better! And even when i’m bad at replying timely bc after work, email is the last thing I want to check. lol

Well, not on “TV” but I’ll watch TYT on YT on my TV, so just my TV. To me, you were fine. My cats were very judgmental though. My 2 fur girls are like that.

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@drea_m_r_76 I finally have an update, but first I hope you are well.

Canada approved his visa as a refugee, so they are finalizing that paperwork. It’s almost over. However, we did hit another, hopefully final, hurdle. The full cost of the plane ticket changed so we are short $1,000 to $1,500.

The lower amount was potentially possible, but he would have to go to some finance office to complain. So he did that, but the Taliban Authority there required all the paperwork regarding the visa application, which revealed he’s gay. So he went back to the travel agency and they told him to not do that, because it would be a risk.

So, now I’m reaching out to friends & family. Because I have a car note, I can’t qualify for a small loan, and the people I live with have a dog that is having health issues, so I can’t get help from them.

I’m sure I can figure this out. I have until Tuesday night EST (which is Wednesday for him) to send the money.

Once he’s in Canada, the lawyer sets him up with a place, a stipend, and class for English and other culture things so he can find work.