Jonah McKeown/CNA
Ann Wittman with Farid Wardak, an Afghan immigrant, in front of the house that the Wittmans purchased for the Wardak family in the St. Louis suburb of Affton.

All of her work helping needy Afghan families, Wittman says, stems from her Catholic faith, and the imperative she learned growing up to treat the poor as if they were Christ himself.