International (MNN) — Tent Schools International recently welcomed their new Development Director, Rawan Haddad.
Rawan’s Background
Haddad was born in Jordan. When she was young, no one in her family had a personal relationship with Jesus.
However, “My mother came to know Him when I was a young girl and I began attending an evangelical church with her and my siblings.”
Haddad enjoyed attending Sunday school and learning more about Jesus. At the age of fifteen, “I felt His call at youth meeting and made a decision of repentance to follow Him,” Haddad says.
(Photo courtesy of Tent Schools International)
She actively served in her church for the next four years alongside her mother. As she did, she enjoyed reading, understanding, and preaching about God and the Bible. Her love of interacting with youths and sharing the Gospel quickly kicked in.
She met her future husband, Salah, at her church and they married in 2005.
“Not long afterward, Salah became the pastor of our church. We began to serve God as family from 2007 to 2012 through our church, surrounded by troubled youth and religious zealots. With 80 percent of the city’s population living in poverty, we worked hard to develop ministry for youth, women, and men among this Muslim population.”
During their ministry work, Haddad received training through Arab Woman Today Ministries “as a part of a two-year discipleship program focusing on the emotional and spiritual healing of marginalized women in other countries.”
Haddad says she didn’t realize God was using this discipleship program and her past experiences to train her for what was to come.
Serving Refugees
Since the Syrian War broke out, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates around 6.1 million people have been displaced inside of Syria and more than 5.6 million have fled to neighboring countries.
Seeing the shattered lives of the refugees, Haddad, her husband, and their two sons left their jobs and home to live near the border of Syria. There they ministered to and lived among the refugees, giving hope and showing love.
“We witnessed firsthand that devastation and trauma wrought upon an entire country. So many lost their families, their homes, and even their opportunities for education. Our time there from 2013 to 2017 was difficult. We experienced God’s grace and His Spirit working in the midst of so much pain and darkness,” Haddad says.
She and her family served faithfully, but recently, Haddad began looking for other ways to minister and serve refugees.
“I looked for a site that has a relationship or works with refugees because I want to work with an organization serving the refugees,” she says. “I want to follow my desire, my passion, my heart, and continue my work and ministry with refugees.”
Working with Tent Schools
She found Tent Schools and saw how much her passion lined up with theirs.
Tent Schools establishes schools in refugee camps, provides laptops for refugee families in America, and ministers to families, showing them how much God loves and cares for them.
Now, as their new Development Director, Haddad has plans to continue making a strong impact in the lives of refugees through Tent Schools.
(Photo courtesy of Tent Schools International)
“First, we want to broaden community awareness of refugee families both locally and internationally and the challenges they face, especially concerning the education of their children,” she says.
“Second, we want to connect with our supporters with updates and how they can participate in the ministry locally and internationally.
“Third, we want [to] connect with present and new partner organizations who also have refugee and displaced persons mission so we can participate for greater impact with our resources.”
With all the tasks at hand, please pray God will open doors for Haddad so she can engage with refugees and partner organizations in the most effective way possible.
Haddad encourages you to engage and pray for refugees as well.
“I want to encourage all the listeners to look at these refugees, especially the children, through the eyes of Jesus. They are [victims] of war and persecution. They need people like us to love them and to care for about them, and listen to their needs and dreams. Let us be true light and salt for them.”
Come alongside refugee children and families by providing schools and laptops through Tent Schools.
