Photo via mnnonline.org

Ministry helps millions who've been forced to leave their homes

Recently, International Relief Manager Ken Little of Christian Reformed World Relief Committee saw the situation of Iraqi refugees in Syria and Jordan first-hand, reports MNN.

Since 2003, two million Iraqi refugees have fled their homeland. Little spoke with one family of seven who live in a three-bedroom apartment. The walls are stained with mold, and there's only a diesel space heater in one corner to heat the entire house. The parents had successful careers. The mother is an English teacher with 25 years experience, and the father is a retired civil servant who worked in the Iraqi health department.

They were forced, however, to flee their home in Baghdad when their family was threatened for teaching girls in their school. The situation became more serious when militants attacked the school, and later a car bomb was set off outside their home.

Today, their twin 16-year-old daughters must work in a sewing factory to help support the family. Only their 10-year-old son, the youngest, is able to attend school.

They now attend a church in Aleppo. With nowhere to go, the family is depending on God to show them their future.

CRWRC is trying to make life just a little easier for people in similar situations by providing blankets, heaters, food aid, trauma counseling and education.

[02/28/2008]

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