The UN estimates that over ten million Syrians and Iraqis have been displaced from their homes and are struggling to survive within their own countries, while a further four million have fled to neighbouring countries, it was reported in January.
The numbers continue to grow. 80% of the refugees are women and children. At least 17 refugee children are known to have frozen to death in camps throughout Iraq in recent weeks. Many refugees are in desperate need of winter clothing and heating.
In November, Jordan stopped offering free medical aid to arriving refugees. In December, the UN World Food Programme cut off food support to around 1.7 million refugees because it had run out of money.
Christians helping
One elderly grandmother, who saw her only son and his wife killed in front of her, now lives with a Christian family in Baghdad. The Christians in some Baghdad churches have divided into teams of three, each team committing to help a certain number of refugees. Although they are impoverished, they have opened their homes to give shelter to those in need, whether they are Christians, Muslims, Yezidis or whoever.
WorldShare’s partners are making a significant contribution to helping refugees – in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and further afield. They are also able to share the message of the love of Christ with those who wish. A number of new churches have sprung up in the refugee camps.
A doctor in Aleppo, in an email to Barnabas Fund on 17 January updating them on the desperate conditions there, was still able to say at the end: ‘The situation in our church is going well. There are many new faces and new people are coming to the Lord. Yes, the burden is getting greater but he is in control and in charge’.
