MEDFORD, Ore. — Now, many Afghans are struggling to flee the country. We’re hearing from an Afghan translator, now living in the Rogue Valley, working to get his family to safety.
“Their hope has changed to despair and that kills me from the inside,” said Faiz.
Medford man, Faiz watching his family from over 7,000 miles away, heartbroken, as the crisis unfolds in his home country of Afghanistan.
“It’s a horrible situation everyone in my family left their homes and they are on the run, everyone,” said Faiz.
His wife, mother and siblings are now all looking for a way out. He says it’s like a bad dream he can’t wake up from.
“They’re scared for their lives, some of them are not where there is service, so I rarely get to talk to them, some of them I can talk with them and they are in fear,” said Faiz.
The 35-year-old was born in rural Afghanistan in the middle of the Soviet Invasion of the country. When the Civil War started his family fled to Iran illegally.
“Since I was four and five I remember clearly that every time I hear plane sounds, I was told just ran and lay down inside the irrigation ditch, I grew up with that,” said Faiz.
Spending 12 years in Iran as a refuge, his family returned home in 2003 after the Taliban were defeated by the US military. At age 20, he joined the Afghan Army, as a medic for three years before becoming a translator helping the US military.
“As a linguist, you’re basically binding the two sides, not just the linguistics of it but the culture,” said Faiz.
But, he says, as a result, he received death threats, which is why he tried to leave. Because of his service, he was able to acquire a Special Immigrant visa to come to the United States. He flew to Dubai, Washington DC, and Alabama before settling in Oregon. He’s been in Medford ever since but says he feels the same pain his family does.
“If I could it’s all if, but if I could evacuate them, that would save their life,” said Faiz.
As time progresses, he encourages his family and the thousands of others to continue fighting for hope.
“Hopefully I might be able to get them out, so the worry is not going to go away in its entirety but it will get a little bit lighter off my shoulder, it’s a lot to bear sometimes.”
Faiz is frightened to share his full name because he fears it will put his family back home, at risk. He just learned his wife received a visa and is now looking for a flight out. He says that’s the best news he’s received in a long time.
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