World Relief Seattle helps displaced people start a new life in the Pacific Northwest. These are some of their stories, and the stories of volunteers who have made a difference.

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Goodwill Choices

Today, as 20-year-old Dzhavad walks into the local Goodwill, he must make some simple choices. As he steps through the worn glass doors, he is suddenly bombarded with possibilities.

• What aisle is he going to explore first?
• Where does he find the clothes that will fit?
• How is he going to afford everything he needs with the money in his pocket?

These are plain, ordinary questions that the average young person experiences on a daily basis without giving a second thought.

Except for Dzhavad, a Meskhetian Turk refugee, these problems are a welcomed oasis from the larger obstacles he must face.

Less than three weeks ago Dzhavad boarded a plane in Russia seeking a new beginning, fleeing generations of persecution encountered by his ethnic group. Dzhavad arrived in America with his elderly parents, armed only with what luggage his broad shoulders could support.

Both his parents suffer from physical limitations so the burden has fallen squarely on Dzhavad to build a new life for their family. In the next three months Dzhavad must learn English, adjust to a new neighborhood, a new climate, and a whole new way of life. Also in the back of his mind is the knowledge that he must find a job as soon as possible in order to support his parents. He not only has to provide for himself, but for his family.

Keep in mind Dzhavad is barely 20 years old.

When most young Americans reach their twenties the big question of the day is whether they should sleep in or go to their 8 o’clock class. For Dzhavad, simply navigating the overwhelming atmosphere of the Goodwill store is a challenge – a challenge he welcomes.

Now where is the men’s clothing?