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Refuge in the Mountains
It was during the later part of December that we first made contact with a group of 16 Yezidi refugee families that had fled from their homes on Mt Sinjar and made their way here to the mountains. The snow-capped mountains that towered over their make-shift camp – a few half-finished concrete buildings – served as a constant reminder that winter was not going anywhere soon. They were cold, poor and very desperate. Since then we have provided them with warm winter clothes, kerosine oil for heating, food and just last month held a medical clinic to tend to their needs.
Fast forward to today... These dear families, along with another 44 Yezidi refugee families located just a few miles away, are now being asked to vacate their makeshift camps and find another place to live. We have grown to love these precious people and know that if it is within our power to help, then we must do something. We have since found a great plot of land in a farm valley on the outskirts of town - ideal for us to build a new refugee camp. The local mayor has donated the tents and so we are now making final preparations with the local government to care for these desperate Yezidi families.
Would you pray with us that God would continue to give us clear direction and the financial provision for the this next big endeavor. Pray too for these dear Yezidi families who have gone through so much. I was heartbroken as we listened to several men share how 15 of their daughters had been captured by ISIS and sold off as slaves or brides for jihadist fighters.
It would seem that everywhere we turn there is a tragic story, people who are in desperate situations. We are surrounded by great challenges, but also with the opportunity to respond with the love of Jesus – no strings attached. Sometimes it requires true faith... to give when you don't feel you have anything to offer. We are learning a lot about that kind of faith... You could say we are simply learning what it means to live the Christian life.
I do hope you can spare a few minutes to watch the below personal video update from our first "challenging" nine months in Northern Iraq. Be sure to also check out the compelling documentary film on the Kurds and the Kingdom of the Gospel called "Better Friends Than Mountains" featured at the bottom of this eNewsletter.
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