I am writing this short update to you as we wind our way through southeastern Turkey on our way to a city near the Syrian border that is receiving large amounts of refugees fleeing from ISIS aggression. Our hope over the next few days is to provide some medical assistance and material relief to these mostly Syrian Kurdish refugees as well as share the hope of the Gospel with those willing to listen. The Syrian Kurds are actually better supported than many refugees since they are part of the “invisible nation” of Kurdistan and receive help from other Kurdish agencies in Iraq and Turkey. They are however somewhat enemies in the eyes of the Turkish government who has waged a thirty year civil war with separatist Kurds on this side of the border, and thus government help for them would likely be tenuous. We have only a few days to provide immediate assistance to the most pressing and accessible needs, but hope that this would also serve as a survey of what future potential there would be for helping this population. Many are atheistic communists rather than Muslims although traditionally they would be Sunni.
The time in Iraq ended well, though the final days turned out far different than expected. As we had hoped, the coordination with the government of Salah Ad Din was finally worked out an at the eleventh hour God provided an able supplier for 3300 blankets delivered to the relief distribution point for about 1,100 families from the province. What happened next we did not expect, though of course it did not catch God by surprise. During the actually distribution day it became evident that the people of the province had four months of pent-up frustration towards their local government that had largely been either unable or unwilling to help most of them while they were refugees in Erbil and this was the first time any of them had been together in one place since fleeing ISIS. You can imagine what came next. Vocal and angry accusations against the government staff of corruption and cronyism, apathy and inability, with the crowds steadily growing. Many who thought they should qualify for the list to receive blankets had not registered with the government and thus were not accounted for, but demanded their share anyway. Some people on the list had formerly been middle or upper class families which have the perception to some that the “rich” we’re being helped over the poor, even though most of these once wealthy families had of course also lost everything to ISIS as others, including homes, cars, jobs and savings and were little better off than others.
But perception is a powerful thing and hard to overcome. Throughout the day the crowds got more restless and things had to shut down early due to safety concerns. The next day was far worse. Larger crowds came and despite a squad of Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers armed with AK-47s trying to contain things the crowds got loud and even violent, destroying a government car and beating and stabbing one of the government workers. Thankfully he was discharged with just a few stitches and was fine. I knew this population of Sunni Muslim Arabs hailing largely from Saddam Husseins’ hometown would be difficult to help and reach out to, especially knowing that from among these very people came the start of the insurgency in Iraq in 2005 that killed thousands. But none of us had expected things to take this turn, not even the deputy governor who had contacted the people to bring them in. Much of it was discontent with the Iraqi government, and many were pushing past them saying “we don’t want you, we want the Americans who will actually help us!” It was difficult situation as to reach this population it seemed necessary to work through the legitimate government, yet their presence itself caused much of the problems by re-opening old grievances from the provincial residents.
Out of if though we built multiple good contacts for follow up the next day, and had a very blessed time going from house to house providing medical care for truly needy families from this province, as well as some blankets and baby formula. Without a large crowd of them things were rather manageable, and many of the men willingly received NTs from us and said they would read them. Oh that some from this dark place might themselves know the Jesus who sent us! These poor displaced Sunni Arabs have no friends in the Kurdish government, nor in the Shiite-dominated government, and are viewed by many as the cause of the whole ISIS problem to begin with. According to the deputy governor, our organization, a Christian relief group, is the first to provide any substantial help to this entire population of displaced Arabs from Salah Ad Din province.
We met after with the deputy governor and his team and they expressed their regret at how chaotic things had turned and took responsibility for much of the situation, adding that they had learned from their mistakes. They also accepted Bibles as part of a parting gift to them, and left on friendly terms after being exhorted that the “greatest among them needs to be the servant of all.”
The final days we were also able to conduct a medical clinic for Christian refugees in Ainkawa and also distribute more baby formula and Bibles, all of which were eagerly received by the crowds. Rarely does one get mobbed by people asking for Bibles, but at some of the camps we had many crowding around, both young and old, asking for “Injils” which means Bible in Arabic. Between all the locations in Iraq, both clinics and distribution points, Antony Simon recorded that over 7,000 Bibles, NTs and children’s books were handed out to willing recipients. Pray God might use the Word to encourage, to help and to save. One woman I saw in the clinic showed a scar from a bullet wound where she tearfully shared she had been shot some time ago by a Muslim in Mosul simply because she was a Christian. She was one of those thankful to receive a new Injil after losing everything fleeing from ISIS.
Unprecedented things are happening in the Middle East in our generation. Great upheavals and the dislodgment of long closed populations that are now relatively within reach. The needs are tremendous, both materially and spiritually. The laborers few. Pray to go or send. Doors like this open wide but once in a generation, and can shut as quickly as they come. The situation is urgent, the conditions difficult and a little dangerous at times, but God is bigger than all of it.
Hopefully a report on the time in Turkey will come this weekend after we leave. Prayers are appreciated. For those who gave of their time and resources, know that it has impacted many needy and often very thankful people out here. Short daily updates will be posted to the Facebook page so I would encourage any interested people to follow along there.
