Book Launch: In Sha Allah, If God Wills It
The Real-Life Story of an Afghan Combat Interpreter
Join the Veterans Breakfast Club for a special afternoon with author and
Vietnam veteran Marine Ron Farina as we celebrate the release
of his new book, In Sha Allah, If God Wills It.
2:00–3:30 PM
Veterans Breakfast Club Welcome Center
5850 Centre Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Admission is free. Registration is strongly requested because space is limited.
Walk-ins will be welcome only if space permits.
About In Sha Allah, If God Wills It
In Sha Allah, If God Wills It tells the remarkable true story of
Abdul Atah Wahedi, an Afghan combat interpreter who spent years
serving alongside American troops in Afghanistan.
Abdul grew up in the centuries-old village of Mata in Afghanistan’s Panjshir
Valley, in a family shaped by war, displacement, faith, and survival. He would
eventually become a combat interpreter working alongside U.S. forces—putting
himself in extraordinary danger as the voice and ears of American soldiers on
the battlefield.
Wounded twice while serving with Americans, Abdul became known to the Taliban as
the “Voice of the Infidel.” His service made him a target, not
only during the war but afterward.
As the United States began withdrawing from Afghanistan, Abdul faced a new
battle: getting his wife and children to safety. With the Taliban hunting him,
the American embassy disrupted by COVID, and his family’s Special Immigrant
Visas nearing expiration, a small network of Americans raced against time to
help the family escape.
Ron Farina follows Abdul from childhood in the Hindu Kush through war, marriage,
fatherhood, battlefield service, and finally the desperate journey to a new life
in America. The result is not simply a war story. It is a story about
loyalty, family, faith, obligation, and what America owes the people who
risked their lives beside American troops.
“A moving biography about family and sacrifice in war.”
Get a Signed Copy at the Book Launch
The VBC has 50 copies of In Sha Allah, If God Wills It
available for the event for $25 each.
Pre-order your copy now and Ron Farina will sign it for you at the
September 19 book launch.
Quantities are limited, so advance purchase is recommended if you would like
to be certain a copy is waiting for you.
Book purchase is optional. Admission to the event is free.
About Ron Farina
Ron Farina is a Vietnam veteran Marine, author, and longtime advocate
for veterans and military families. His books have focused especially
on the experiences of those whose lives have been shaped by America’s
post-9/11 wars.
His previous books include Out of the Shadows: Voices of American Women
Soldiers, Who Will Have My Back, and
Sacrifice, The Final Chapter. His writing has received awards from
the American Society of Professional Journalists and other organizations.
In 2025, he was inducted into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of
Fame for his writing and advocacy on behalf of veterans and their
families.
At the VBC Welcome Center, Ron will talk about how he came to tell Abdul’s
story, what he learned about the role of Afghan interpreters in the war, and
the difficult promises America made to those who served alongside U.S.
forces. There will be time for questions, conversation, and book signing.
At the Event
Ron will discuss the book and Abdul’s story, followed by audience questions
and conversation. Copies of the book will be available for purchase while
supplies last, and Ron will sign books after the program.
Refreshments will be served.
VBC Welcome Center Parking Information
In Sha Allah, If God Wills It is published by Casemate.
Learn more about the book.
