Sean is a veteran field worker who leads a Frontiers team’s efforts to reach displaced Iraqis and Syrians with the love of Jesus Christ.
Millions of Iraqis and Syrians have fled their homes and become refugees by crossing borders into other nations. Still others are internally displaced peoples [IDPs], having stayed within their countries but settling in safer areas.
The area where Eric and his team live has seen its population swell with the arrivals of refugees and IDPs. Most of these families are not welcomed by members of the local community.
In the following blog series, Sean shares how refugees and IDPs are finding hope through his team’s ministry.
Our relief work began when Zaki, a local friend and a Muslim-background believer, asked us, “Can you help me help my new neighbors? They’re all refugees and IDPs.”
Zaki’s request has since turned into a relief program that is serving hundreds of families—all of whom are shunned and ignored by the local community.
The vast majority of the people we serve are displaced Muslim families living in abandoned houses or tents along the side of the road. There are refugee camps in the area, but they are filled to capacity and will not accept any more people. Those living outside the camps tend to be in greater need and are often forgotten by larger humanitarian organizations.
The most heartbreaking reality of our work is that what we can do is just a drop in an ocean of need.
We’ve distributed several tons of food. On one recent trip, we delivered 5,300 pounds of food to 200 families. But it is just a drop.
For the 1,400 men, women, and children in these 200 families, distributions of food are a great help. But what about all the other families who are in need, but for whom we don’t have the resources to help?
What about the 2-year-old little girl I met last week? She needs medical tests that can only be done in a city over two hours away and which would cost more than $800. Her mental and physical condition is rapidly regressing.
What about the 4-year-old who needs a new liver—an operation that can’t be done in this country?
If I had a million dollars, it still wouldn’t be enough. Even for 200 families, at $5,000 per family, there would still be great need.
Even if we could meet the needs of these 200 families, what about all the other families living in other nearby towns? They need help, too.
The needs go well beyond our ability to meet.
But just because the need is beyond our ability doesn’t mean we close our eyes to it. No, we look with open eyes and we do what we can. Just because we can’t solve the whole problem doesn’t mean we can’t help.
It’s not on us to solve the whole problem. That belongs to Jesus Christ.
But we can foster hope.
And sometimes, hope comes in 27-pound bags of food.
Check back later this week to discover the three ways Sean’s team is fostering hope for refugees and IDPs.
**This account comes from a long-term worker. Names and places have been changed for security.**
Original article: FrontiersUSA.org/blog/article/refugee-update-hope-comes-in-small-packages
