Connecting

One of the unique aspects of KindWorks is that we intentionally try and nurture a sense of community in everything we do. When Covid necessitated that we couldn’t come together as neighbors in service, I thought we would lose that sense of community and connection, which for me is a hallmark of our work. Not so fast. Marina had shared a post requesting computers on her neighborhood listserv to donate to KindWorks digital empowerment program. I texted her and asked why she wanted to get involved. Marina shared that her family immigrated from the Soviet Union when she was seven years old, in the middle of the Cold War, not speaking any English, not knowing the customs. They could have easily felt ostracized, but her parents continue to tell stories of the amazing people who welcomed and helped them. “It made a lasting (40+ years) impression on them and cemented their attitude about this country. They LOVE this country.” She said that her parents are optimistic and always remind their kids and grandkids that it’s the people who make up the country, not the government, and that there are many more caring people in America than those that are not. I shared with Marina that I too am an immigrant to this country, from Pakistan; I also came when I was seven, not knowing a world of English and clueless about American culture. I shared with her my Washingtonian piece ‘Pakistan on the Potomac’, about our family’s story. She wrote back: “Your dad sounds so much like my dad and your family, in many ways, sounds exactly like my family. Oh, and by the way, I have a daughter named Zaida; how coincidental that your son is named Zayd. What a small world. If this pandemic ever subsides, I would be honored if you had a moment to drop by for tea.”