(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
Middle East (MNN/BGR) — The sudden rise of ISIS created an instant wave of refugees from Iraq and Syria. 10 million people are living under ISIS control.
Their culture of death has pressed into service the youngest, brightest, and most savvy in a generation. The others were most often killed or discarded as past their prime.
But what ISIS discards, Jesus protects. When terrorists found 82-year-old Yasmine, a Christian, they deemed her too old to kill. She became a refugee, and Baptist Global Response partners brought her food, blankets, and medicine, once more proving that she has infinite worth.
(Photo courtesy BGR)
The Bible has much to say about taking care of widows, orphans, and strangers or “foreigners.” By taking these in and caring for them, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus, demonstrate His unconditional love and speak truth into their lives that can be transformational.
BGR currently has several projects ministering to refugees and displaced persons overseas in relation to the Syria/Northern Iraq crisis. Since the outbreak of hostilities several years ago, they have allocated and worked with almost US $3 million worth of projects.
Today, they have active projects in Northern Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Greece, and Croatia. Refugee families are experiencing many problems: lack of security, poverty, inflationary prices, overcrowding and lack of proper housing, insanitary conditions, chronic diseases, and children missing out on school. BGR partners, supported by people like you, provide basic necessities like food packets, blankets, cooking sets, tarps, hygiene kits, medical care, and education for these displaced families.
(Photo courtesy BGR)
While they are grateful for the aid they receive, they also struggle with the loss of dignity that comes with having to accept handouts from others. Pray that BGR partners will be able to help them regain their dignity and that their conditions will improve to the point they don’t have to beg for food and assistance.
So, the big question is: how can you care for refugees like Yasmine in the midst of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East?
