The Ayoubi family together again, Sameera not pictured due to privacy preferences
The last time Fareed, Sameera, and their two children embraced was to part ways amidst the chaos at Kabul airport in 2021. Fareed, a transport manager at Bagram Air Base, who also owned a car dealership, stayed in line with their young daughter to board an evacuation airplane and eventually made their way to America.
As a journalist who covered the Taliban, Sameera had received multiple death threats and decided to go into hiding. Sameera was pregnant at the time and went with their 6-year-old son to a cousin’s house for many months until they could escape to Pakistan.
I was thinking how can a 3-year-old daughter live without her mother? Life is not good without her mother,” said Sameera.
Shortly after giving birth in Pakistan, the Ayoubi’s third child died, sending Sameera’s already spiraling worries into a tailspin.
“When I lose my baby, I lose my hope,” said Sameera.
Around that tragic time, life was hard for Fareed and their daughter in Minnesota. Fareed worked 12 to 15-hour overnight shifts, only sleeping a few hours during the day.
Arrive Ministries connected the father and daughter with a team of Good Neighbor volunteers; led by Megan and Dan, possibly changing the trajectory of the Ayoubi’s lives.
While Megan and other volunteers supported the family with childcare and regular visits; Dan worked with an immigration attorney and Representative Ilhan Omar’s office to file the proper family reunification requests for the Ayoubis.
“Many times we would wake Dan up in the middle of the night with our troubles, and he would solve our problems,” said Sameera, who had secured a visa to get to Spain by that time.
The team of advocates negotiated with the State Department and immigration authorities to speed up the family’s reunification process.
I don’t know if Sameera would be here today without the help of Rep. Omar’s office, and it makes me proud that I was able to help grease the wheels a little bit,” said Dan.
Finally, 26 months later, a reunion scene unlike any other; Sameera ran for her daughter who jumped into her arms, and the family of four collapsed into a pile on the airport floor.
“I couldn’t control myself,” said Sameera.
It was unbelievable, I can hardly remember that time without crying,” said Fareed.
Dan and Megan were honored to witness the moment these four broken hearts mended back together, “It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” said Dan.
Early on, Sameera was shocked to see how much English her daughter spoke. Fareed had warned Sameera of the cold weather approaching and suggested they move to a warmer climate, like California. But once Sameera met their faithful friends who had helped her from afar, she knew where her home was.
She told me she liked Minnesota people and that we would stay here,” said Fareed.
“It was amazing and frustrating and tedious and sweet; and at the end of the day, being able to help this family was one of the most fulfilling things in my life,” said Dan.
