CALIFORNIA, USA — After a refugee family's harrowing escape out of Afghanistan, they're now beginning a new chapter of their lives in Northern California.
Habib and Rachela Shinwari said it's still hard to sleep, but they can breathe easier knowing their children will have opportunities here that they couldn't have under the Taliban regime.
"The challenge is to establish our life again because... the U.S. is land of opportunities to explore the options for us to have a normal life again for my family," said Habib Shinwari.
The Afghan economic advisor said his family was among the last refugees evacuated from Afghanistan less than an hour before a suicide bombing killed 182 people, including 13 U.S. service members, at the Kabul international airport.
"It was terrible to hear that kind of blast in suicide bombing," he recounted.
Shinwari said he's at a loss for words for the lives sacrificed to help Afghan allies. The week the government collapsed, he said his family tried six times to get to the Kabul airport, oftentimes bullets flew overhead as they clutched their children.
"I have to leave for my family, for my kids, for their future," he said, knowing the regime would abolish his children's curriculum and co-education system.
The Shinwari's journey took them through Qatar, Germany, Dallas, San Francisco, and finally to Rancho Murietta last Saturday. That's where they've begun setting new roots with the guidance of their host family, the Dayas.
"We're going to be lifelong friends; there's just no way around it. I love them. I love their children, and I'm so happy we're able to help facilitate this process," said Kimberly Daya.
The families said they're each learning from each other's cultures and have more in common than expected.
Together, they have a shared goal to get the Shinwaris a new foundation with housing, transportation and employment that could utilize Shinwari's three degrees.
"This is our primary focus because we want to get these people on their feet. They have so much to offer like not just our local community, but everyone," said Mark Daya. "They're going to be great people in this society, and we just got to get them going."
The Daya's have set a GoFundMe to help fundraise for those basic needs.
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