We're Learning to Love Them

One of our favorite things to do is to go with Jamal Iqtish, United Muslim Relief, to deliver boxes of food to the Syrian refugees living outside of organized camps.  (LDS Charities partners with United Muslim Relief to provide the boxes of food.)  We are becoming acquainted with these people and learning to love them.  Words cannot express our feelings of sympathy for them all.

Most of the refugees fled their homes, their gardens, and all their possessions, leaving with only what they were wearing and escaping for their lives.  If they were lucky enough to survive the bullets and the long walk to the Jordan border, they were put into a crowded camp or settled in a field or an abandoned building or given a tent out in the desert. They are free now, but not really.  There isn't much of a future for them.  No income, no food, and no possibility of owning any land.  The Jordanian police (understandably) watch them carefully.  The government does what they can, but the numbers are just too overwhelming.

We ask ourselves, how would we like to live in a tent out in the desert with nothing to do but sit around and wait for the next food box delivery?  Would we like to be covered with flies, bitten by mosquitoes, have babies without any medical care?  How would we survive the cold winters and the hot summers?

One of the most touching experiences I've ever had happened yesterday when Mamood, a woman in one of the camps, gave me a big hug and 3 kisses on each cheek, then slipped a ring off her finger and gave it to me!  It was only a cheap bauble, but it means everything to me because she gave a gift out of her poverty.

We love the little babies . . .

This little one had eyeliner on!!

 Children reciting verses from the Koran in the "school in a tent."  They sounded GOOD.

Passing out candy to the boys can be risky in this camp.  The children here aren't so well disciplined as in some of the other camps.

Back at the UMR office in Mafraq we heard and watched F-16's roaring overhead.  Then some helicopters followed.  It was fun to watch.  Lynn really liked the excitement.