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Renewed Trust
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June 10, 2021
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Renewed Trust
story from Good Shepherd Center in Amman, Jordan
 

Eight-year-old Natashia had experienced a great deal of trauma when she joined the Good Shepherd Center in 2018. The trauma affected her to the extent that she was not able to communicate properly with others or make friends. Every time we tried to talk with her, her eyes were full of fear and hesitation.

After contacting Natashia’s father, we learned of the difficulties her family had faced in Iraq. Her mother had been separated from the family for a long time during one of the frequent bombings taking place there. Her father was kidnapped and threatened at his workplace multiple times. This pressure led the family to flee Iraq in 2017 in search of safety. When they arrived in Jordan, they had no family or friends, and they were afraid of what the future held for them.

Our center put together a plan to help this family. A family built on trust and faith in Jesus Christ and His power to change us was the first step in helping Natashia recover. We visited the family to help them get familiar with their new surroundings. We prayed with them and talked to them about God’s love. We invited them to church and to participate in activities to help them make new friends. The church further assisted the family by teaching the parents new skills to earn a living: the mother sewing and the father mosaics.
 
The Good Shepherd Center also worked with Natashia individually. We urged her to participate in activities, including singing or reading from the Bible during the church services. We saw a drastic improvement in Natashia. As her confidence increased, it became more apparent that she was an intelligent student and she had artistic abilities. She continued to become more enthusiastic and eager to learn.
 
Then the coronavirus crisis entered the world, and the center was forced to shut down three times. Our students had to complete the school year online. This was a difficult transition for them. The center had been the only safe place they had to play, learn and meet their friends. The shutdown hit Natashia especially hard. She refused to attend her classes over Zoom, and she stopped doing or sending her homework.

Our center’s headmaster again contacted Natashia’s father. He explained that she was feeling very frustrated, missing her friends and the school. He also told us he was financially unable to provide her with a computer and internet service to use for school.
 
Good Shepherd Center put a new plan in place to help Natashia get back on track. The headmaster provided her with a computer and all its essentials. Natashia’s teacher made home visits and talked to the family about God’s love and how He never abandons His children. The teacher also kept in daily contact with Natashia, encouraging her to attend online school so she could see her friends and learn with them.

Step by step Natashia has been able to overcome the fear and frustration that used to control her. She is now an active member of the praise team within online church.

Natashia’s recovery and her renewed trust in God is another victory in our eyes as we work with students’ academic, as well as their emotional and spiritual, needs.
New Children's Resources
Five short videos and reproducible handouts
Perfect for VBS or Children's Ministries

Meet Nisaf, a winsome twelve-year-old girl in Kurdistan (northern Iraq). She lives with her family in a refugee camp, along with 8,000 other children and their families, after they fled from ISIS terrorists. Through five short videos Nisaf shows us where she lives and other special places in the camp, including the Noor Center. Established by Impact Middle East, the Noor Center creates ways for children to laugh, play, and feel safe again after all the trauma they have experienced in their lives. Reproducible handouts provide activities and additional information for each of the videos. Project options provide ways for children’s groups to help children like Nisaf.

Click here to access "Children Like These" materials and Agreement of Use form.

 
Sample video - "Children Like These: Meet Nisaf"

Sample Reproducible Handout Page
Other Children's Resources 
Great for VBS or other children's missions studies

Click here for Missions Alive! Middle East and other downloads (missions curriculum for grades 1-6)
Password:
20MEeJiI20
Video Resources

We encourage churches to use these resources. Due to security concerns regarding these materials, please follow these guidelines:

  1. Videos are for live broadcast only.

  2. Videos or reproducible handouts may not be stored for public viewing on any web or social media platforms.

  3. These materials are the property of Impact Middle East (IME). Any use beyond those stipulated above requires written permissions by IME.

  4. IME reserves the right to revoke authorization of use any of the materials.

Click here for Agreement of Use form. After review of your form, you may receive the link to these password protected pages.

 
To view videos of Impact Middle East Ministry in EGYPT, click here.

To view videos of Impact Middle East Ministry in IRAQ, click here.

To view videos of Impact Middle East Ministry in ISRAEL, click here.

To view videos of Impact Middle East Ministry in JORDAN,
click here.

Opportunities

Impact Middle East is looking for local churches interested in helping refugee children in Jordan and Iraq attend school where they will receive biblical and academic instruction. Connected Communities, through International Child Care Ministries (ICCM), makes a way for churches to come alongside specific schools in the Middle East.
Connected Community: dale@impactmiddleeast.org

Heavenly Treasures - an Impact Middle East partner organization - offers online access to hand-crafted products made by Iraqi refugee artisans. Heavenly Treasures can also provide a “pop-up” store for your church or organization.
Shop: shopwithamission.com
Pop-up Store: christina@heavenlytreasures.org

SEED has tote bags for your business ... journals for your church's volunteer appreciation gifts ... and many more products helping our churches be more sustainable as they work with refugees in the Middle East. Click here for products made by refugees.
AmazonSmile has donated over $200 million to charities worldwide! You can help increase AmazonSmile donations to Impact Middle East by shopping at
smile.amazon.com/ch/26-4657639
or with AmazonSmile ON in the Amazon Shopping app.
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