As he logged onto the Zoom call, we saw a beautiful blue sky behind him. Bernard* was at a local market in Pakistan when he realized it was time for our meeting. He didn’t want to miss talking with us, so he found a bench and sat down to visit.
Bernard is a refugee from Afghanistan currently studying at a university in Pakistan. After being granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), he needed a legal way to stay in the country and a safer place to live. Enrolling in university gave him that opportunity.
His journey to this point, however, has been anything but safe. In another part of the city, Bernard was attacked and beaten after discussing his personal beliefs with a local priest. His attackers called him an "apostate" and assaulted him until authorities intervened.
Long before that, he had already faced immense hardship. Bernard had witnessed the murder of two family members. Fearing for his life, his mother begged him to leave before he became the next target. He fled Afghanistan, leaving behind his mother and sister.
Despite everything, Bernard is determined to build a better future. He dreams of completing his education and starting a business—one that provides opportunities for others facing hardship. But his safety remains uncertain, and his mother, who still lives in Afghanistan, faces daily harassment because of his choices.
With his UNHCR paperwork complete, Bernard was referred to the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), and The Off Ramp is sponsoring him for resettlement through the Welcome Corps, a private sponsorship program with the U.S. State Department. But on January 27, his hope of relocation came to a halt when an Executive Order suspended all refugee processing for at least three months, leaving him in limbo once again.
For now, as long as he remains enrolled in school, Bernard is safe from deportation. But he longs for a place where he can build his future without fear—where he can pursue his education, create opportunities for others, and live freely.
At the end of our call, we told him we’d talk again next week. His response was immediate:"You don’t know how happy that makes me. I was going to ask if you’d call again. I always feel encouraged after we talk. Thank you—I can’t wait until next week."
Bernard is bright, hardworking, and full of determination. We look forward to the day when his dreams become reality.
Reverend Nell Green is Emeritus Field Personnel with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Co-Founder and Director of the non-profit organization, The Off Ramp.
*Names are changed for security and privacy purposes.
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