In 2014, a crisis beyond imagination took place when ISIS entered villages in Mosul, Iraq and began persecuting and expelling hundreds of thousands of Christian families whose ancestors had lived there since ancient times. The area is actually ancient Nineveh. ISIS took over one village after another to expel the Christian Iraqi believers and claim victory over that territory.
ISIS terrorized the Iraqi families. They lived in fear not knowing if or when their village would become the next target. One of the families that we serve lost their beauty shop when ISIS doused it with chemicals and burned it to the ground. Very sadly, we know families that lost family members caught in burning buildings. I ask you to imagine but can we really imagine?
These families who no longer have a country are the very ones that our ministry Restoring Faith serves in the country of Jordan where they fled to. We are their voice because they have no voice. Their plight has become a faint memory. They feel rejected and ashamed that they have no way to work or feed their families.
Over these last 10 years, due to lack of proper medical care, their health has continued to deteriorate. Nutritional deficiencies increase, diseases increase, and death rates increase. Last year, we lost three lovely family members to diseases not properly treated.
What began as indescribable human tragedy has become doors of service and blessing for the Body of Christ to come together to carry out Galatians 6:10, “Therefore, as we have every opportunity, let us do good to all men, especially to those of the household of faith.”
Restoring Faith seeks to supplement the families with either food or with food vouchers so they can buy their own food. We also help with other types of aid and basic necessities. Our dream and desire is to serve more families more often.
On April 12, we will be going to Jordan again, and with your support we will do as much as we possibly can to help these suffering refugee families. Please visit our website to see the options we have for donations. Thank you on their behalf!
- By Joanne Liang, Director of Restoring Refugees, April 2024