Displaced after 1,700 years
I have just returned from my second visit to Iraq this autumn, inspecting the relief work of Mission East in the region. It was a trip filled with horrible impressions, and I have experienced almost more than I can handle. But it was also encouraging to see that our relief reaches those in need and that people’s lives are being saved.
There are internally displaced Christians and Yezidi everywhere in the province of Dahuk where Mission East works. Several of the ones I met were sitting in thin summer tents that often got flooded when it rains, and several others had found refuge in unfinished buildings.
For 1,700 years, the Christians have lived on the Nineveh Plain of Northern Iraq. Throughout the centuries, they have kept their traditions and language, which is similar to the language spoken by Jesus, Aramaic. But above all, they have kept a very strong Christian faith, which has been the source of their strength for all these years.
But right now all the Christians, a total of circa 150,000 people, have fled the terror of Islamic State, and now live as displaced in the Kurdish region of Northern Iraq. Most of them live in basements or church halls or outside in summer tents.
When I left Iraq on December 2nd snow had started falling in the mountains and the temperature in the region was close to 0 degrees Celsius. Hence, for the displaced Christians the very urgent need at this time is to get protection against the cold winter in the form of blankets and winter clothing.
Until now, Mission East has helped more than 10,000 displaced Christians and Yezidi.
But our aim is to provide assistance to twice as many within a short period.
It is indeed thought provoking that we in the West will now celebrate Christmas with candles and warmth in our hearts. But in the Middle East, where Christianity started, thousands of Christians now live under the same primitive conditions that Jesus himself experienced during that first night in Bethlehem.
Kim Hartzner, MD, Managing Director
10-year old Lidia tells about the escape on August 6th that year: ”We escaped from our town by car, before IS attacked our town. Before IS came, we had a good life. My father was working, and my mother was a housekeeper, and everything was very good. I was very glad to go to school, and I was going into the 5th grade, when IS came. I want to go back to my home, my land, and I believe God can do everything. It is not difficult for him. He can help us to go back.
IS have exploded our house with dynamite, and also the houses of the neighbors. I know this because those who came later told us.”
About the situation and the cold just now Lidia says: ”It is cold at night, and I freeze. I wear two pants and two blouses, and I cover myself with two blankets in order to sleep. But when there is no electricity it is very cold. Last night there was no electricity, and it was very cold.”
