Athens County Sponsor Circle: 2024 Report to our Supporters
Dear Friends of ACSC,
In 2024 the number of refugees grew worldwide. In the US, the anti-immigrant rhetoric heated up in the November election. We hear threats from the incoming administration of massive deportations and closed borders. It is a perilous time for individuals fleeing poverty, famine, and political oppression in their home countries. While the need for refuge has grown, it seems the will of our nation to embrace its immigrant heritage is waning.
But in Athens County, with your help, we are telling a different story. We are working to bring immigrants here, to provide them with safe passage to our shores, and to help them establish a new life under peaceful skies. You have made it possible for over two dozen deserving individuals, who want only to have a chance to live the American dream, to begin new lives in the United States.
In this report, we want to share the stories of the lives you have changed--how they have fared over the past year, and what challenges and successes they have had. We wanted to let them tell you, in their own words, what your support means to them. What follows is a short accounting of lives made better because of you. We have grouped the newcomers by country to help you see the reach of the work you make possible.
Nicaragua
Recently the Nicaraguan parliament has granted the husband-and-wife team of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo the titles of co-president and ceded all power to them. The country is rife with poverty, political harassment, and oppression of all dissent. We are happy to be supporting eleven newcomers from Nicaragua.
Luis, Azalea, Luiscito, and Enoc (Arrived in May 2023)
The family resides in Sponsor Circle House here in Athens, Ohio. Luis was a political prisoner whose release was secured by the US Government, and he was brought to the US along with 222 other prisoners in February 2023. ACSC reunited the family by bringing his wife Azalea and their sons Luiscito (15) and Enoc (9) here. Today Luis and Azalea have great jobs, and the boys enjoy school. The family is in the process of applying for political asylum and has recently been granted five-year extensions on their work permits. They are also eligible to stay in the US until their asylum hearing.
Luis, Azalea, Luiscito, and Enoc
Azalea shares with you the following: My name is Azalea Suarez, my two sons Luis, Enoc, and my husband Luis, we arrived in the United States in 2023 after having lived through the effects of a cruel dictatorship in our country, Nicaragua, under the absolute control of the Ortega Murillo family. Family reunification was the greatest display of love that God manifested in us after all the adversities reflected in the organization of the circle of sponsors who have welcomed us as part of their family and all those who have made this progress possible in our process. I say that the word thank you very much is small compared to what my heart feels. We have been fortunate to be able to count on your material and human help. We have felt welcomed and safe in this beautiful green city full of values, experiences, and generosity. We always hope to give the best of our work capabilities with the aim of also contributing to the development of this great nation.
Alvero (Arrived May 2023)
Alvero lives in Athens. He reached out to us to support his application for Humanitarian Parole due to the persecution he experienced in Nicaragua and to seek ways to earn money to support his daughter and mother who are still in Nicaragua. He has gained employment at Ohio University, and the university is supporting his application for a long-term work visa.
Alvero shares the following: I’m excited to share that my employer is sponsoring my H-1B work visa! I’ll be traveling soon to have my passport stamped, with plans to return before the end of the year. This timeline was recommended to ensure everything is finalized smoothly, allowing me to continue in my current role. I’m also looking forward to pursuing further education and continuing to work toward financial stability, with hopes of reuniting with my family here in the U.S. in the future.
Kevin, Karen, and Thiago (Arrived December 2023)
Kevin, Karen, and their son, Thiago (age 7), reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. ACSC supported their Humanitarian Parole application and helped them travel and get established where they had friends. Kevin works in construction and drives Uber after he gets off work. Karen works five days a week in a sushi restaurant and weekends in a Latin eatery. Thiago loves school and is learning English. With the help of ACSC they have secured a lawyer who is counseling them on their asylum application.
Kevin, Karen, and Thiago
Karen shares this with you all: I still remember the day I saw the news on social media that there was a page to get a sponsor and I told my husband Kevin, I told him to connect and he excitedly said to me; I found a gentleman named George, and he answered me. When we received an affirmative response from you, we jumped for joy. At first, we had doubts and we asked ourselves, is it true? But I always answered myself positively: yes, it is true, we are going to achieve it.
And so it was, here I am right now writing this email to you, on December 27th we have been here for a year, it has been quite a challenge for us because it was starting from scratch in a new country, new customs, lifestyle, we did not start the year very well because I had to have appendicitis surgery and I was in recovery and I could not work that time. Language has been a limitation, but I try to learn something new every day. We are a family with principles and values that is fighting every day for its dreams.
I feel very happy to be here with my family and this has been possible thanks to God and all of you, you have been like angels in our paths, I long to meet you and be able to thank you in person one day.
Alejandra and Liam (Arrived April 2023)
ACSC reunited Alejandra and Liam (age 6) with Antoni (her husband and Liam’s father) in Florida. Since then, they have moved to Kentucky where they were both able to secure jobs. Unfortunately, when Alejandra noticed that Liam was not developing normally, they had tests carried out and learned he has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This is a terminal disease. However, the best treatments in the world are available here in the US and Liam is receiving them now. The family is being supported by Antoni’s employer in his application to stay in the US; he is a systems engineer and an asset to the company. Additionally, the treatments Liam is receiving are not available in Nicaragua (or most other places in the world) and this adds to the justification for the family to remain in the US.
Alejandra sent the following in Spanish, the translation is not the best, but we know you will get the intent: We are already about to complete 2 years of parole wow time goes by quickly, in this great country, approximately 3 months ago we relived Liam's diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disease with no cure and as time will pass his muscles will show muscular weakness our world came to a standstill and collapsed. It was something new since Liam did not have the ability that his little friends had to ride a skateboard or bike, we see his frustration for not doing things with the skill he would like to have, we know that a condition does not define him and that 3 weeks ago he received his infusion (gene therapy) Elevidys a very expensive treatment, very new and thank God we had the opportunity for Liam to receive it. For now he is receiving classes at home, he will return to school in February every week he has check-ups and everything has gone very well. We know that God blesses us with what we need most. While I was on the phone with my grandmother these days, she was telling me that God has put people on our path who helped us so that Liam could be treated here, thinking that this would not have been possible without their help. Although at one point we turned away from God because we did not know what He wanted to teach us, we are clear that God has supported us at all times, that He will always be there for us, and that by putting Him above all things, the rest will come as an addition. Thank you for the support!
Ukraine
Anatoli, Raisa, Maxym, Ruvym, Dmitro, Denis, Rustum (Arrived October 2022)
Our newcomers from Ukraine watch the invasion by Russia into their home drag on. While they are happy to be safe here, they long to return to their homes. In fact, one of them has returned and joined the war effort. We have worked with Christ the King Catholic Church in supporting the family that is still here, and they have some very interesting news.
The family, with the support of Christ The King Catholic Church, continues to thrive in Athens. Anatoli and Maxym often travel around the country for carpentry work and have a long list of satisfied customers in the Athens County area. Ruvym finished high school, and the other boys are still attending the Athens City Schools. The big news is that Maxym is engaged to Nadia, his sweetheart from Ukraine, and our good friend Father Don supported Nadia’s family in coming to the US. There is a wedding planned for this coming April!
Anatoli, Raisa, Maxym, Ruvym, Dmitro, Denis, Rustum
Raisa sends this message: Everything is fine with us. Thank you very much. The wedding is planned for April 12, 2025. We are sincerely grateful that you gave us the opportunity to come to Athens. We all like it here very much. Our family is very grateful to you.
Tetiana, Liza, Kolya (Arrived August 2022—Returned January 2023)
Tetiana, Liza, Kolya
We stay in touch with the family, but the news is never good. The ravages of war have become a daily drone of power outages, bombings, and returning dead soldiers. Tetiana has joined the army and is flying drones as well as taking care of logistics for a unit. Liza is at the university and lives in Kiev. Kolya is living in the family apartment in Kiev by himself and is a student. Communication with the family is sporadic.
AfghanistanACSC began its work by bringing a family from Afghanistan to Athens. They had been taken out of the country in the final airlift as the father had been working with the US Army.
Shafi, Farahnaz, Modasir, Mobasher, Sohrab (Arrived July 2022)
The Hazrati family first arrived in Athens and ACSC helped them connect with family in Houston. We provided the resources they needed to relocate there and start their new lives. Shafi is working two jobs, and the boys are learning English as the entire family works toward becoming US Citizens. They have been welcomed by the extensive Afghan community in Houston, living amongst many relatives and friends from their home.
In Conclusion
We hope every one of you reading this feels a sense of optimism that it is possible for small groups of people to make a difference. Your support has not only changed the lives of these families, but you have also made our nation a better place. Immigration has always been part of the American story, it has enriched our nation and made it the wonderful hodge-podge of traditions, faiths, cultures, and histories that is America. Each of us is the descendent of someone who took a chance on the United States and came here hoping to make their way, to escape conditions that restrained them, or flee persecution. And now we are welcoming more families wanting to make new lives in our great nation. Again, we thank you, and more importantly Luis, Azalea, Luiscito, Enoc, Alvero, Alejandra, Liam, Kevin, Karen, Thiago, Anatolli, Raisa, Maxym, Ruvym, Dmitrio, Denis, Rustum, Tetiana, Liza, Kolya, Shafi, Faranz, Moboshar, Modasir, and Sohrab thank you.The ACSC Team: George, Marcia, Ryan, Bill, Joette, Tee, and CorinnePS. If you would like to make a year-end donation to support the work of ACSC you can donate via credit or debit card on our website at https://www.athenscountysponsorcircle.org/how-to-help or send a check to ACSC, Box 215, Amesville, Ohio, 45711. As an IRS 501c3 charity, your donations are tax deductible. Please consult your tax professional with questions as to claiming your charitable deductions.
