*Sam’s name has been changed to protect his privacy.
For unaccompanied children who have lost or been separated from their families, reaching safety is only the beginning. They still need a place to belong, adults they can trust, and support as they begin again. Through our Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) program, Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA) provides foster care, case management, and ongoing support to help young people find stability, continue their education, and build relationships that make a place feel like home.
Sam’s story is one example of what that support can make possible.
When he arrived in the United States in September 2024, Sam hoped to begin building a future that included an education, a good job, and a life of his own.
Now 19, he has graduated from high school, begun studying electrical engineering at a community college in Virginia, and bought his first car. He works two cashier jobs and lives independently.
Before reaching those milestones, Sam survived the loss of his mother, persecution for his faith, and a dangerous journey to the United States alone. With continued support from LSSNCA, he began finding the stability to pursue his goals.
“The only thing I was looking for was education and a way to go to church,” Sam said.
Losing the person who made home feel safe
Sam grew up in Egypt with his mother and three siblings. Life was difficult, but his mother worked tirelessly to care for the family.
“My mom was the best person,” he said. “She took care of us.”
She died when he was 13.
“Everything changed,” Sam said. “Everyone went their separate ways.”
His sister married and moved away. His brothers also left. At just 13, Sam found himself on his own.
He tried to continue attending school while supporting himself. His day began at 6 a.m., followed by a long trip that brought him to school around 8:30 a.m. After classes ended at 3 p.m., he traveled home, ate, and went to work. He took different jobs, including farm work, to get by.
“I [did] this every day,” he recalled.
Sam also described facing persecution because of his Christian faith. While grieving his mother and working to support himself, he was trying to practice his religion in a place where he did not feel safe.
At 17, he decided to leave for the United States, embarking on a journey whose dangers and complexities he did not fully understand.
Sam’s journey took him through Oman, Qatar, Morocco, Spain, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.
Along the way, he had to rely on people he did not know, facing dangers he had not anticipated, including exploitation and human trafficking.
“I had no idea,” he said.
After leaving the airport in Nicaragua, he recalled being approached by armed men who promised to take him to the United States. He relied on Google Translate to understand them. He traveled in a car with roughly 15 to 17 people, spending hours on the road before continuing on foot at night through parts of Central America.
One of the most frightening parts of the journey was a trip on a crowded boat. Sam said about 35 people were aboard a small vessel for more than 20 hours. He could not swim. Waves rose around them, water entered the vessel, and there was no food or drinking water.
“It was so scary and dangerous that I wanted to die. I wanted to stop,” he said.
He survived the crossing and continued through Mexico, eventually traveling to Tijuana and crossing into California. By the time he reached the United States, the fear and exhaustion left little room for celebration.
“I wasn’t so happy,” he said. “I was just relieved to be alive.”
His faith helped him make sense of surviving.
“God gave me another life,” he said. “God wanted me to live.”
Being treated with kindness again
Shortly after arriving in the United States, Sam was placed in a shelter for unaccompanied children in California, where he spent about three months. The cleanliness of the shelter and the kindness of the people he encountered left a lasting impression on him.
“[They] treated us so good that I felt like I was a human again. The last time I felt that kind of respect was when I was with my family” he said.
After LSSNCA arranged a virtual meet-and-greet with a foster family, Sam chose to join them and traveled with a chaperone from California to Virginia. The family’s kindness encouraged him, and the placement allowed him to attend school and resume the education he had worked so hard to hold on to.
Support through another transition
When Sam’s foster placement ended abruptly, his LSSNCA case manager continued working with him to find a stable place to live and explore a path toward independent living. Sam appreciated how deeply she cared about helping him.
Still, the uncertainty was difficult. Some nights, he cried. At times, he felt hopeless.
“I was losing my faith,” he said. “I was praying hard.”
Even during that period, he tried to hold on to the belief that his life could get better.
“I still believed that God is preparing me for a better opportunity.”
LSSNCA secured a supervised independent living placement for Sam, designed to help him prepare for the transition into adulthood. Having a place of his own became a turning point.
“Once I moved to my new place, I felt everything started going well again.”
He began building relationships at school, church, and work. He finished high school and started college. With a stable place to live, he could devote more attention to his education, relationships, and plans for the future.
Independence with continued support
Living independently has not meant having to navigate everything alone.
Through LSSNCA’s URM program, Sam continues to receive support as he works toward his goals.
“LSSNCA checks in with me every week,” he said. “They support me with education and rent and help me with legal consultation for asylum.”
Those regular check-ins, assistance with housing and education, and access to legal services help him manage school, employment, and the responsibilities of living on his own.
For Sam, stability grew from having a place to live and people he could count on through each transition. LSSNCA’s support helped him move toward independence while remaining connected to people he could turn to for help.
“My priority is to finish my education and find a good job,” he said.
Sam’s story shows what becomes possible when a young person has safety, stability, and people they can count on. But policy changes are putting that stability at risk for unaccompanied children who face the loss of health benefits and access to legal representation.
Your continued support helps LSSNCA provide legal assistance and connect young people with affordable health care as they navigate life in a new country. Please give today to help ensure the children and families we serve have the support they need to care for their health, understand their legal options, and keep building their futures.
“Whoever is reading this, I want them to know that there is hope,” Sam said.
Help us keep that hope within reach. Learn more about becoming a foster parent.
