New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 36

36 N E W W O R L D O U T L O O K . O R G

These visas take several months to process; in the interim Nazim's wife became pregnant. Soon the family welcomed a baby daughter and named her
Lina. But because she hadn't been born yet, her name was not on their original
visa documents. They received permission to emigrate to the United States
just as the Taliban made the family's continued existence in Afghanistan untenable. It was a matter of life or death-but they could not take their infant
daughter with them. In the end, they had to leave Lina behind in the care of her
uncle and grandmother, vowing to return for her as soon as possible.
Once in the United States, the family immediately began the process of
getting a visa for Lina to come to southern Michigan. Unfortunately, the accredited representative (not an attorney) who filed their forms created unnecessary red tape and delays. Weeks turned into months, and months became
a year. Meanwhile, Lina's uncle
and grandmother were now in the
Taliban's sights as Nazim's closest relatives. They were forced
to move for their own-and
Lina's-safety.
The First United Methodist
Church of Blissfield, Michigan,
became involved in the case
and directed the family to JFON
Southeastern Michigan. Their
file landed on the desk of volunteer immigration attorney, Virginia
Norkevicius.
With 20 years of experience
in immigration law and as a former JFON employee, Norkevicius
dedicates one day a week to
JFON clients. She was surprised
by the tangle of Lina's case and
JFON Southeastern Michigan volunteer
the precious time that had been
immigration attorney, Virginia Norkevicius,
wasted. She contacted the emwith Lina in the United States.
bassy in Kabul and began the
PHOTO: JFON SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN
process again.
Meanwhile, the church started a GoFundMe campaign to send Lina's mom
back to Afghanistan to visit her daughter. Lina had her interview at the US
Embassy in Kabul in June 2016. She was approved several months later.
"I cried when we got the word," admits Norkevicius. "To bring families together is a wonderful thing." Lina arrived in Michigan on November 7, 2016,
after being separated from her parents and siblings for more than two years.
Nazim, profoundly moved by the care and expertise his JFON attorneys
gave to Lina's case, came by a JFON clinic to express his gratitude to the entire JFON staff. "Thank you," he said, his eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"Thank you for bringing Lina home."

Begun in 2010, Justice For Our Neighbors in Southeastern Michigan (JFON-SEMI)
is a small, grassroots, volunteer driven organization that provides high quality, free
legal services to immigrants and refugees.

Tennessee

Inherit the
Kingdom
by Wade Munday

W

e take time to celebrate the
victories as we work on behalf of immigrants and refugees-
like when one of the attorneys at
Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors
presents a Green Card to someone
who has endured extraordinary hardship and displayed equally extraordinary courage.
We must also acknowledge the
losses-a hostile political climate,
threatening emails, limited funding. However, we are reassured that
our actions are just and our work is
worthwhile because of this simple
acknowledgement from Jesus:
"Come, you who will receive good
things from my Father. Inherit the

RocĂ­o received her Green Card in 2015 with
the help of JFON Tennessee after helping
law enforcement successfully prosecute
criminals who terrorized undocumented
families in her neighborhood.
PHOTO: MIKE DUBOSE


http://www.newworldoutlook.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open

Contents
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - Intro
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - Cover1
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - Cover2
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - Contents
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 4
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 5
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 6
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 7
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 8
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 9
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New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 11
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 12
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New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 16
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New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 19
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New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 35
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 36
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New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 45
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - 46
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - Cover3
New World Outlook - Summer 2017 - Open - Cover4
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gbcm/newworldoutlook_20150102_v2
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gbcm/newworldoutlook_20141112_v2
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