In August, the American Red Cross was asked to care for evacuees from Afghanistan arriving at U.S. military bases at home and abroad. More than 800 Red Crosser workers answered the call to welcome families with open arms and basic aid. Central Florida volunteer Erica Santella was one of the first to accept the assignment. This is her story in her own words.
On Friday August 20, I received a phone call asking if I would be able to deploy to an Afghan repatriation assignment at the Doña Ana Complex near Fort Bliss, Texas. The next day I was on a plane to El Paso. I knew this was history in the making and the next three weeks proved this to be true.
When I arrived, there were around 300 evacuees. When I left there were more than 10,000 men, women and children. This was a different type of deployment. The Department of Defense (DOD) partnered with the Red Cross to provide temporary shelter, food and items such as blankets, comfort kits and towels. We raced to get these items on the evacuees ’ cots and bunk beds so they would have some things when they arrived. After a time, we also began providing shoes and clothes. Many people got on a plane with nothing.
Formula, bottles, and diapers were available to babies 24/7. And there were many new American citizens born at the military complex. I was with Red Cross workers when a woman was about to give birth. Fortunately, the medical tents (separate men and women) were close by and we got a wheelchair to get the expectant mother assistance.
For a time, Red Cross volunteers ate with the evacuees . The Afghan food was not one I’d eaten before, and I enjoyed the opportunity to try something new. There was music and song in the dining hall of 200+ people. One breakfast consisted of pita bread with white cheese, olives, tomatoes and pickles. One lunch we were served the best vegetarian burger I’ve ever had.
Every day we witnessed improvements to make the residents more comfortable. The laundry facilities came in, clothes lines were set up in place of the chain link fence being used. Cell towers and hot spot locations were widely used. Red Cross had a phone bank where evacuees could make domestic and international calls to talk to their families. This brought comfort to many so they could let their families know they were safe.
As with any deployment, the days were long, and the work was hard. Temperatures reached the mid-90’s most days. A cloudy day was rare, and we also had a few dust storms. Red Cross workers had to travel close to an hour to and from the installation every day.
One highlight was when we were able to greet the evacuees as they arrived via bus from the Ft. Bliss Airport. We were working in the nearby warehouse sorting clothes and shoes getting them ready for distribution. When the buses rolled in, we formed lines, along with the U.S. Army, and cheered and clapped in greeting. This was quite a journey, from Kabul, to possibly Germany, certainly Dulles Airport and then El Paso. Although exhausted, the Afghans appreciated our gauntlet. The kids all loved giving a fist bump. A few did the heart gesture, and one blew us a kiss. How humbling to see people that have left their homeland, friends and family to start new in the United States. They helped America and now we are helping them.
Truckloads of items had to be sorted by gender, age, and size. The men were the easiest, since it was basically shirts, pants, socks and undergarments. Toddler clothing, with all the different sizes, was the most challenging. For days on end, Red Cross volunteers sorted through bags and boxes of items. Men’s clothes were most in need. My late husband used to tease me that men don’t need a lot of clothes since they wear them until they are out of style and are not even good for rags. Maybe there is some truth to that! We also learned that Afghan men preferred sweatpants over jeans, since the latter are more difficult to pray in. Women primarily wore traditional clothes with arms, legs and head covered. In a gesture of respect, I wore long sleeved shirts, long pants and a head covering. I live in Florida and the heat was not a problem to me!
The children seemed to be the most resilient. As kids always do, they find ways to play and have fun. When Red Cross was able to hand out balls and dolls, the parents were also relieved. There was a lot of energy being released! Soccer was by far the most popular sport. Jose Bueno, a Central Florida regional staff member, was able to play soccer with the best of the kids. I too was able to play a 15-minute impromptu game of catch with a 6-year-old boy. We made up new rules on how to throw the ball such as tap it on your head 3 times and toss it over your shoulder.
Translators helped us with everything from getting lines in order, to just everyday questions. You didn’t need to speak the language to communicate. Hand or head movements, smiles (even through a mask), all can help make a conversation. Saying Salam with your hand over your heart is a simple sign of respect and sincerity.
The evacuees felt safe at the camp and were looking forward to their future. I got many questions on what part of the United States would be most welcoming and best for them to settle in. Freemont, California, currently has the largest Afghan refugee enclave. The evacuees were interested in reading civics books on how our government works and reading maps of our very large country.
The most difficult part for me was two-fold. Shoes and the adults needing brain stimulation. It was difficult to get enough shoes that fit properly and are appropriate for the sand and grit that every refugee had to walk through to get to meals, the bathrooms and showers. It took a while to get a system in place. By the time I left, more and more shoes were given out.
One man approached me saying he hadn’t read a book for 15 days and felt his brain going stale. How did he know I was a reader? The El Paso Military YMCA is taking donations and I’m sure the other bases around the country have something similar.
I have so many memories and won’t forget the other Red Crossers I met: Lavonne and I were both on our first long deployment; Angie and I went hiking on our day off in the mountains (no trees!); Karen and I talked about Austin; Bob worked to create a system to hand out clothes efficiently; Mike showed me how to work in a chain/line to unload boxes; Rickey with IT always was good for a morning chat; Sondra regaled us with stories of her time in Bosnia; Sandy and I solved the world’s problems on our journey to and from the base each day; and Patrick (another Central Florida volunteer) and I reminisced about our experience at the Hurricane Elsa shelter in North Port. I could go on & on. The people you meet here are friends you hope to meet on a future deployment.
I am thankful that the Red Cross gave me this opportunity to participate in such a historic event.