GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — The Afghan people first captured local filmmaker Thomas Bloom’s heart when he served there as a Marine. Now, he’s producing a documentary on Afghan refugees here in Grand Junction.

Bloom, who grew up in Grand Junction, tells WesternSlopeNow he first heard of the efforts to help refugees find sanctuary through his mother, Theresa.

“The Grand Junction community stepped up and made it happen. And they didn’t just help, they bent over backwards,” Bloom said.

One of the refugees, kept anonymous to protect her family, tells a story of survival and escape from the Taliban.

“I couldn’t go in my house, because if I go there, I have threats by them…maybe they will kill us.”

She managed to escape to America with the help of her boss in Afghanistan. That was six months ago, but despite everything, she says things are going well.

“I’m really good and I’m thankful to god. At least I’m in a safe place, I’m with my family.”

She tells WesternSlopeNow she’s constantly worrying about the rest of her family, now in Pakistan.

“Everything, just, I’m thinking about my family being out there. Or the food that I’m eating right now, do they have or not?”

For now, she has no way of rescuing her relatives but hopes to find one.

Bloom tells WesternSlopeNow the average documentary takes about six years, so it may be a little while until the project is finished. Until then, Bloom has this to say.

“The overarching message is to be accepting, to welcome others, even if we don’t know them or we have preconceived notions of who they might be, and to welcome them with open minds and open hearts.”