El-Fadel Arbab, his wife Zienab Salih Abaker and their sons Eyad, 7, and Ehab, 3, head back inside their Portland apartment Wednesday after playing outdoors in the snow. Arbab’s family finally arrived in Maine Tuesday evening after a long struggle to bring them to the United States.
Arbab holds his youngest son, Ehab, 3, on Ehab's first full day in Maine.
Eyad, 7, laughs after throwing a chunk of snow into the air while playing with his brother, Ehab, 3, outside of their apartment in Portland. Eyad was incredibly excited to play in snow for the first time.
El-Fadel Arbab and his wife, Zienab Salih Abaker laugh together outside their Portland apartment. Arbab has been trying for years to bring his wife and sons to the U.S.
Eyad, 7, laughs as he watches his little brother play with Holly MacEwan. A sign that was made to welcome Eyad, his brother and mother hangs on the wall behind him.
Ehab, 3, looks out the window of his new bedroom on March 27.
El-Fadel Arbab fixes his son, Eyad’s, 7, hair. Arbab first came to Maine in 2004 as a survivor of the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. He married overseas ten years ago.
Holly MacEwan hugs Zienab Salih Abaker as she says goodbye. MacEwan and her former student, Ryan Zamer, have been helping Arbab try to bring his wife and two children to the United States.
Abaker laughs as her son, Eyad, 7, picks up a chunk of snow to throw. It's their first experience with snow.
El-Fadel Arbab his wife, Zienab Salih Abaker and sons, Eyad, 7, far left, and Ehab, 3, at home, together, in Maine.
Eyad, 7, right, and his brother, Ehab, 3, run back to the door of their apartment after playing outside with their dad.
Eyad, 7, touches the mobile his father hung in his new bedroom. HIs father has consistently worked three jobs in Portland to support his family overseas and eventually bring them to Maine.
Abaker holds her son and Ehab, 3. She is eager to take language lessons to improve her English skills and wants to get a driver's license and a job.
A floral henna design decorates Abaker’s hands. "I did it special for him," she says, "I'm so happy to be here."
Arbab and Abaker, at home in Maine. Abaker and her two sons were evacuated from Sudan at the end of April 2023 and spent the last nearly 11 months living in a hotel room in Saudi Arabia. Arbab has been trying to get his family to the U.S. for years.
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