GREENFIELD — In the lives of refugees who recently arrived in Indiana from Afghanistan, Rev. Cyndi Alte of Bradley United Methodist Church sees echoes of the foundations of Christianity.
“The refugee story is our story,” Alte said.
The story of refugees in the Bible starts with Moses, she said, who led his people out of slavery in Egypt to freedom in Israel, a journey that took 40 years. Jesus, Mary and Joseph also became refugees, she said, journeying from Bethelhem to Egypt.
‘It’s the same with the Afghans, I would say,” Alte said. “They had no idea what country they would end up in, they just needed safety.”
Atle’s church is one of many Methodist churches around the country collecting donated items for refugees who have recently arrived in the United States. Some are being housed in Indiana after fleeing Afghanistan’s new Taliban government.
“It’s an effort of the national United Methodist Church, not just our church,” Alte said of the donation effort. “…It’s our job to be welcoming and gracious and loving. It’s what we were called to do.”
Donations can be dropped off the church, located at 210 W. Main Street, on Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon or on Sunday mornings. Items needed are diapers; pull-ups; tampons and sanitary pads; hula hoops and jump ropes for children; and head coverings for women. Those can be a simple scarf in a solid color.
The Greenfield Indiana National Guard armory, 410 Apple Street, is also accepting donated items.
Items will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and must be new. Items needed include: men’s and women’s unbranded modest clothes such as long-sleeve T-shirts, underwear, pants and jackets in sizes small to large; children’s clothing including baby and newborn clothes, hats and socks; powdered baby formula; socks, hats and shoes including slide-on sandals (no flip-flops) for all ages.
Both donation efforts will benefit the refugees being housed at Camp Atterbury, a military and civilian training post in Johnson County.
Alte said the Methodists’ effort is through the United Methodist Committee on Relief, a worldwide organization that coordinates church assistance to those in need.
“In the last month, there’s really been a push to help people in Afghanistan as well as in Haiti,” she said.
The people at Camp Atterbury are among 37,000 Afghan refugees who have been approved for resettlement in 46 states after the Taliban takeover of the country, which occurred almost immediately after the final withdrawal of troops from the theater of America’s longest war.
Over 6,600 refugees are currently being housed at Camp Atterbury. Mark Howell, the lead public affairs officer for the resettlement effort, provided an update to the media Wednesday, Sept. 22 on the refugees. He said among the people staying in 82 buildings at the base, 57.6% were male and 42.4% female. About 47% are children under 18. There was a baby born at the camp Sept. 9, and other pregnant women are also being housed there.
So far, 25 people evacuated from Afghanistan have left the camp who were U.S. citizens or green-card holders, according to the update. The goal is to eventually resettle all the refugees in the country, after they complete a vetting process, though they won’t necessarily stay in Indiana.
A regional collection system has been set up to sort and deliver items donated by Hoosiers, with several state agencies collaborating on the effort.
Nine Indiana National Guard armories are serving as donation sites where members of the public can drop off the items that are needed to clothe and otherwise assist refugees.
Donation efforts have been coordinated by Team Rubicon, a national disaster response effort, and the American Red Cross.
“Hoosiers have overwhelmingly responded to the needs of the Afghan evacuees and asked to help these men, women, children and families as they arrive in the United States,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a press release. “We are proud to do our part in helping those who have helped the United States and provide an organized collection effort to expedite getting the supplies to those who need them.”
Anyone wishing to donate additional items through Team Rubicon can find more information at teamrubiconusa.org. Monetary donations can also be made through Team Rubicon or through the American Red Cross at redcross.org. The group Exodus Refugee Immigration is also collecting donations of items and money that will be used to help in eventual resettlement efforts; more information about donating can be found at exodusrefugee.org.
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Donations in Greenfield accepting donated items for refugees at Camp Atterbury include Bradley United Methodist Church at 210 W. Main Street and the National Guard armory at 410 Apple Street.
For information about donating money or additional items to assist refugees, visit teamrubiconusa.org or redcross.org.
Exodus Refugee Immigration is accepting donations of money and items to assist refugees with eventual resettlement; for more information, visit exodusrefugee.org.
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Officials move to dispel rumors, misinformation about Camp Atterbury refugees. Page A7
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