Great news, I met with Tafsela Thursday at RiSSE, the refugee and immigrant support center in Albany, and she came up to me right away and said she got a job the day after we posted about her looking for employment two weeks ago.

With RISSE’s help, she has filled out scores, if not hundreds of applications.

I can’t say for sure if the posting did it or not, I don’t know and she doesn’t either. She’s going to work at the Albany Medical Center working in the Food Service there.

Tafsela is impressive, she is from Afghanistan, has come to America recently.

I did hear from someone who wishes to remain nameless that the Army Of Good had a finger in this.

Tafsela’s family chose a husband for her when she was 14.

I am not free to say why she left Afghanistan, she says she wanted to be free, she has wanted to be free her whole life. And she is brave and strong.

She is a single mother, here with a small child.

Her life is hard and challenging, she is very happy to be here. She told me you have to live in Afghanistan  as a  young woman to understand how much freedom can mean.

I am drawn to strong women in many ways, I love the way they look right into the camera and almost dare me to take a photo.

She was working at a hotel cleaning rooms but was laid off at the end of the summer, the end of the tourist season in most of upstate New York. The hotel manager thought enough of her to write a letter to potential employers explaining that the season was the only reason she was let go, they valued her highly.

I copied it and sent it out to about a dozen employers. I didn’t send one to Albany Med.

I am much impressed with Tafsela, she is pleased to be working for the giant Medical Center there (where I had my open heart surgery), she plans to work her way up the ladder – she is 22 – and when she says that, she looked me  right in the eyes, I can tell you I absolutely believe that she will do it.

I asked  her if she needed any kind of support, financial or otherwise, and she said no, thanks, she would make it on her own. I have no doubt she will.

If one of you angels helped her get this job, thanks. A small act of great kindness, another victory for the Army Of Good.

I am touched and feel intensely patriotic when I meet people like Tafsela, she reminds me what it means to be an American.

Tafsela is a young woman, very much alone in America with a small child and a government that will not help her in any way. America is a beacon to her, despite her hardships, she would rather be here than anywhere else.

She will get there. I will stay in touch with her.