HUMANITARIAN: Supporting Northern Syrian Refugees:
North East Syria, in a wave of violence, had many displaced families, as you know. Kurdistan, once again is accepting all of these refugees. As many as 1.700 arriving each day. The first two weeks 13,500 people came from Rojava alone.
We have been assigned to oversee the project of distributing “Hot Meals”, to those Kurds’ who are being forced out of Northern Syria, by the country of Turkey. LDSC gave quick support in aiding these much deserving people.
On Thursday morning we received a call from Mohammad, with Barzani Charitable Foundation (BCF) who has front-line responsibility in the activities of receiving the refugees. They explained that hundreds had already come and had been given aid. They invited Joyce and I to join with them later that day, to greet another group who had been walking for a few days and would be coming across the border later that afternoon. We welcomed this opportunity and drove the three and a half hours north to join them.
Traveling on the road we saw a camp, north of Duhok that we had never before seen. It is named Bajid Kandal Camp and is recognized as one of the most desperate of all the camps, in part due to their location away from everyone else and that they are one hundred percent Yazidi, Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) and come from Shinjar. The camp looked very run-down and hurting. The pain and misery seem to have no end!
We arrived at the checkpoint, where the newest refugees are being met. It is in the village of Chellukum. Coincidentally, it lies just about thirty minutes from our Chicken Project in Pakhlujia. We did not realize how close we were to the Syrian and Turkish borders.
After inspecting the kitchen and food preparation areas, we were given a tour of the facility. Looking out across the horizon to the north, we could see the two valleys that feed in from Syria, the two valleys are the conduit for the refugees to come through. They gather in the valley and wait until early in the morning, about 2:00 A.M. and come in one large group into the checkpoint. They wait until the cover of darkness to make their march into safety. They come in groups of hundreds. They are met by security personnel, processed and fed immediately upon arrival. They then are given bedding and a hard cement floor to lay upon for their rest. The Syrians charge adult $200./each for exiting and $70. for each child.
After visiting the checkpoint and seeing the accommodations, we went down to the roadside where another large contingency of refugees had been loaded upon buses for transporting to their permanent camp in Bardarsh, located between Duhok and Erbil.
The sight of these poor persons told a horrible story of difficulty. The older men were very haggard, their faces told of turmoil and struggle, often they had a faraway look in their eyes, showing signs of despair.
The mothers sat with babes in arms and indicated sheer exhaustion. Many of the children were draped over their mothers and did not even have a whimper left in them. The young men, they were very resilient and showed spunk; one young man whom I had just given a bottle of water to asked me, “you speak English?’ I said yes! He then went on to say, “Me too, my name is Barzan”. He was full of energy and enthusiasm. This must be how it is with all weary travelers, some down and others oblivious to their desperate conditions. The young men of the camp were running around the grounds.
Our hearts ached for these poor individuals. How grateful we are to be a member of the true Church of Jesus Christ, that knows no borders, that greets all mankind with a generous hand of acceptance. A church that prepares to be ready whenever hardship comes. If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear. That is the “True Church of Jesus Christ”!
Friday, we made our way back to the checkpoint and acted as greeters and helped welcome the refugees into the camp. Prior to greeting the weary travelers, we helped prepare food for them to eat. They cook rice and soup in the biggest of pots, probably fifty gallons.
The group arrived early, about 8:00 pm. We let them settle with the security personnel and then attended to their needs. We assisted in serving them food and then spent time visiting with them until about 12:30 am.
Through our translator we learned that some were Armenian and that they had witnessed the bombing of their neighborhood. Seven of their neighbors were killed as a result of the bombing and they fled. They said that the civilians are now being targeted, it is not just about the military. The man telling the story was an owner of a restaurant and others were construction workers, mechanics and one young lady was a nurse. Knowing the conditions of the camps they are about to enter, our hearts melted, knowing their conditions would not allow their full potential. It has been our experience to see doctors, architects and agriculturalists be relegated to camp dwellers, no work opportunities. It is most deplorable!
While visiting the camp members at Bardarsh (this is the camp where most of the daily 1,500 people are being taken) we met one man who became emotional, showing us pictures of his brother. He was lying dead on the street where the Turkish military had shot him and then mutilated his body. The man was in tears as he shared the sad tale. His distress was too much and walked away without any further words. We did not provoke him to tell the sordid story, we believe he was merely wanting to vent.
KURDISTAN BRANCH:
Friday mornings we hold our branch meetings in Duhok. Attending was Salim and his family, consisting of his wife and two sons. They are strongly interested in the gospel; he desires baptism during our District Conference coming up in late November. President Dastan has visited with him and between he and President Akiki, a determination to refer them onto the Area Presidency will be made. Last month we shared about the second missionary from our Branch, Valentina. She is call to the LONDON ENGLAND MISSION and is very excited and ready to serve. She is departing February 19, 2020.
On Sunday we held meetings with Kunbi and Hami. Kunbi works with Hami at the Red Cross. He considers himself a Christian and wants to learn more. He has volunteered to assist us in translating for a public school that we are considering assisting in a Micro Project. The school is quite sad. Windows are broken out, bathrooms are non-existent and very little supplies. If kids need the bathroom them have to run home. No playground equipment or sports balls and the like. We want to give them something to make their education better and more acceptable to a learning environment.
HISTORY:
Last week we had the privilege of attending a Mission Conference in Amman, Jordan. It was very enjoyable to visit with other missionaries from the Middle East Africa North Mission. We learned from them, had fun with them, and saw many meaningful sights around Jordan. Saw the Sea of Galilee (or the Sea of Tiberias) from the misty distance, the village of Elijah the Prophet and a visit to his church at Mar Elyas. We also visited Jarash, which is the largest Roman ruins outside of Rome. We also ate dinner in two hundred-year old caravansary--which is an ancient inn with a central courtyard for travelers in desert regions.
SHARING WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED:
There is a spiritual gathering of wards and stakes but there is also a physical gathering of the Arabic people. Arabs are not Gentiles. They are of the covenant because they are from Ishmael. Blessings went to both Isaac and Ishmael. We see almost daily the gathering that is taking place here. It is really a very joyful event to watch. Elder Singer (of our Area Presidency) told us that the law is fulfilled but not the covenant. Christ fulfilled the law the first time He came. The second time He will fulfill the covenant. All prophets have looked forward to this day and time.
In Jacob 5 (middle of the chapter) the master of the vineyard is talking with his servant and saying, "All the trees of the vineyard are good for nothing. Hew them down and cast them into the fire." (the fate of the earth). the servant said, "Let's try one more time." So they did. Trees grew again, only differently. The trees grew too fast and became corrupted. The branches overcame the roots. Now the church needs slow and steady growth so as not to overcome the roots. Elder Singer said the Middle East has more member growth, with no proselyting missionaries, than Russia who has hundreds of missionaries. He went on to say, "Why do we need slow and steady growth if it is the only true church on the face of the earth? Because: to fulfill prophecy of the allegory of the wild and tame trees."
We wait with anticipation to see what becomes of the uprising of the young adults in Baghdad, Lebanon and neighboring countries in regards to their determination to have freedom of speech and religion.
FUN FAMILY FACTS:
Marriages of Jake Whitehead (grandson) and Savannah Sumsion, and Ashley Slack (granddaughter) and Casey Nye!
Great Grandchild birth--Nila Summers to Ryan and Brittany. Two great grandchild expectant births announced: Mark (grandson) and Lily Summers and Jasay (granddaughter)and Corban Goodrich!
Makell Slack (granddaughter) is coming home from her mission in Richmond, VA on November 21st!!
We love you all but love the Lord more. If Kurdistan is where He wants us to be than Kurdistan is where we want to be.
LOVE,
Ken and Joyce
Mom and Dad
Grandma and Grandpa
P.S. Ken spent our 50th Wedding Anniversary in bed very sick with Shingles. We were homebound for two weeks in October. Even though he still felt terrible (but not contagious) he continued to work hard on Humanitarian projects. He wants sympathy so he asked for his photo to be included. WARNING!! It looks terrible---more like a Halloween mask!-----ugh!!
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| The sun going down today. It’s the biggest sun I’ve ever seen each evening here. |
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