by Cheryl DePaolo
be completing applications for aid assistance. However, the caseworkers are encouraged to take time with
each case, and we look for openings and opportunities to help our clients discuss and process what they
have experienced. We soon found that every single person has a dramatic and often traumatic story to tell,
and that listening is still our most important skill. We often find ourselves dispensing tissues and hugs as well
as meeting financial needs. Almost always the discussion turns to spiritual issues. The Salvation Army was
birthed with this concept of servant evangelism, which involves meeting the person in their place of need and
demonstrating God's love in very practical ways.
Sunday I saw a young Arabic couple whom I will call Mohamed and Fatima. I had seen many Arabic men
come through the Pier 94 Family Assistance Center, most of them workers whose jobs had been eliminated
by the World Trade Center attacks. None of the other men had been accompanied by their wives.
The young woman was slender, dressed in traditional Muslim garb and head veil. I was struck by this
couples' obvious affection for one another. They described their circumstances. Mohamed had lost his job
due to the attack, and his wife did not work as she stayed home with their baby. They were looking for
assistance with their rent, and they showed me their lease, which they claimed was in the names of Fatima
and her brother. They also showed me a copy of a letter threatening them with eviction; the lease specified
that no other occupants could reside there, and Mohamed's name was not on the lease. They explained that
since moving into the apartment, Fatima's brother had married and moved out, and Mohamed had moved in
after his marriage to Fatima.
I could sense something was amiss about this story, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. We had
encountered several scams, and Fatima must have sensed my hesitation. She leaned in and spoke to me
softly. "The landlord wants to throw us out because we are Arabic. He says if the rent is not paid quickly, we
will be evicted. The name is just an excuse. There is so much hatred". They had no way to pay the rent, she
said. We were their last stop in looking for help.
My mind raced as I tried to discern the truth in this situation. Of course I knew that Muslims and even Sikhs
were experiencing bigotry and persecution since the attacks. I knew that The Salvation Army was assisting
Arabic women who were afraid to go to the grocery store for fear of persecution. I had heard people making
derogatory comments about Muslims. It must have been difficult for some Muslims to come here, where the
families had gathered for word of their loved ones in the early days following the attacks, and in recent
weeks for assistance in filling out applications for death certificates and other aid.
I found myself wanting to ask the couple their nationality. However, I thought, what difference would it make
in my decision? They could have been Afghani, Pakistani, Egyptian, Lebanese or from a dozen other
countries. We were providing aid to people regardless of immigration status, and we had provided aid for
citizens, resident aliens and illegal immigrants alike. I did not ask them where they were from; I knew that
their home was in New Jersey. I knew that they happened to be American citizens.
Still conflicted, I consulted the officer in charge. We had denied applications with dubious documentation,
and we were keenly aware of our obligation not to misuse the money that had been so generously donated
to The Salvation Army. After some discussion, we decided that Fatima's name was on the lease, and we
could pay one month's rent. We did not need to make the decision for or against the justification for their
eviction. I returned to the desk with a lighter heart, and I completed the paperwork and gave them a letter for
their landlord. Their expressions of gratitude and smiles of relief seemed genuine. "God bless you", I said.
Was it some sort of a scam? Perhaps. Was it an expression of God's acceptance, love and kindness in a
world that had suddenly become very unkind to them? I'd like to think so.
As St. Francis of Assisi stated "Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words".
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