A long battle to get my friend to safety in America
Trent Reedy
In August of 2021, in the wake of President Joe Biden’s betrayal of Afghanistan, as the Taliban rampaged across the country, I wrote a Washington Examiner piece called “All for nothing” in which I described my friendship with an Afghan man named Jawad Arash, as well as our co-written novel Enduring Freedom, which was inspired by our experiences in the war in Afghanistan.
For the last two years, Jawad’s family has been on the run from the Taliban. He wasn’t allowed to work. I conducted online fundraisers for the family’s survival. We both looked for any pathway to safety for Jawad’s family. Conservative radio host Glenn Beck’s charity network was able to evacuate Jawad’s family to Pakistan, but their visas were temporary, and avoiding deportation to the deadly country now run by the Taliban was difficult. All seemed hopeless.
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Then, back in March, Jawad’s American student visa was finally approved. Faithful readers, I’m thrilled to report that on Tuesday, July 25, Jawad Arash and his family arrived, safe from the Taliban at last, in America. I hadn’t seen my friend in person in the 18 years since I returned home from the war, and many times during our long ordeal, I doubted I would ever have the chance to meet him again. But suddenly, he was right there in that crowded Chicago airport.
“We did it, Jawad!” I shouted as we hugged. I wore the green and purple traditional Afghan chapan cape Jawad had given me before I left Afghanistan.
Nearly every day for two years, I’d dreamed of this reunion, and while imagining my friend arriving safe in America, I frequently struggled to contain my emotions. Yet, when our goal was finally realized, there was a sense not of anticlimax but of a reality that could not possibly live up to my long-held expectations. Or perhaps full emotionalism was suppressed by my old soldier’s “mission first” instinct. There was so much to do to establish Jawad’s family in America. Perhaps my focus on our many necessary tasks prevented me from sobbing in gratitude and relief.
Jawad translated my words to his wife. “Welcome to America. I promise, your family is safe now.”
“I’m shaking,” Jawad said. “I cannot believe this is happening.”
We loaded a minivan floor to ceiling with people and bags and drove to Terre Haute, Indiana, where Jawad will pursue a doctorate at Indiana State University. He rode next to me as I drove. “So beautiful.” His voice wavered as he gazed at the green trees and cornfields.
We spent the next four days setting up the family’s household. We cleaned the apartment and spent an eternity in Walmart shopping for everything. As soon as we entered, I began shoving silly decorative items, such as a cheap American flag camper birdhouse, into the cart as a joke. I laughed when Jawad’s wife looked confused and worried like, “This idiot’s been our lifeline?” Soon, she and the family were amazed by the abundance of everything in America.
Jawad was impressed by American efficiency. “I love this country!” The social security office didn’t demand bribes. The banker didn’t hassle him about his background. The school principal helped enroll his son in first grade.
It was in that school on my last day in Terre Haute that I most struggled with my emotions. I pulled the principal aside. “Days ago, these kids were hunted by the Taliban, not allowed school, books, or anything. Thanks for helping them.”
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For two years, I’ve suffered nightmares and constant daytime dread about the Taliban slaughtering Jawad and his family. Jawad constantly feared for his family. Thanks to the prayers and assistance from many caring people, it’s all over. We win. Jawad and his family are safe. He and I are new men now.
In church, I often hear the word “hallelujah.” Jawad Arash, my Afghan friend and co-author, has escaped the deadly Taliban and reached safety in America. Now I’m certain I know what hallelujah means.
Trent Reedy, author of several books including Enduring Freedom, served as a combat engineer in the Iowa National Guard from 1999 to 2005, including a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
*Some names and call signs in this story may have been changed due to operational security or privacy concerns.