QARAQOSH, IRAQ — With a history of work in Iraq that dates back to 1991, Samaritan’s Purse continues to minister to the needs of the hurting in this rugged, war-torn land. ISIS’ takeover of parts of the country from 2014-2017 left lasting scars on the hearts and lives of its people. Many lost loved ones as well as their very livelihoods, and people continue to suffer from the trauma they experienced. Samaritan’s Purse continues to help restore hope to displaced Yazidi and Muslim families in Iraq.

Matthew Nowery, Samaritan’s Purse:

2014: The Yazidis were encircled by ISIS. They have been physically harmed, forced to flee, forced to live in war after war, fight after fight. There are still Yazidi women and children actively being trafficked. This is an ongoing trauma.

We are working in several of these camps, coming alongside these families, meeting their physical needs and sharing the love of Jesus with them.

Mark Dagher, Samaritan’s Purse:

The families that move here are being provided with something that they haven’t been provided before– the opportunity to return to a normal life. The houses that we provide, alongside the greenhouses, really changes their living situations. It elevates them from the tent life to a home. We’ve given two greenhouses to each family. The crops that are grown here will help each family with a sustainable stream of income.

Dakhil, Beneficiary:

It’s good that I’m able to plant and sell my own crops. It was helpful to learn how to market and sell the crops. I am thankful for those who built this project and gave us the chance to be part of this.

Haley Wilson, Samaritan’s Purse:

In Healing Wounds of Trauma, men and women are taken through practical steps of what it looks like to walk through the journey of grief. They talk about what it means to bring their pain to God. They wrestle through lessons on forgiveness to begin the journey to heal from their trauma.

Rana Barbar, Samaritan’s Purse:

It’s incredible to describe what God’s love has been doing here. We’ve had struggles. Many here have psychological issues, but we’ve helped them with the love of God. They were finally able to love themselves, to love each other, and to handle the loss and manager their feelings really well.

Samer Raad George, Samaritan’s Purse:

This is not a normal camp. The people of the camp mostly are the remaining families connected to a member of ISIS. They are not allowed to work, not allowed to leave the camp unless they get previous approval, so they kind of feel trapped. There is a lot of needs that make them think that they are not enough, or they are not loved, or they are not accepted. A place like this is trying to help these kids at least to start to dream again, being loved and accepted so they will change the worldview that they have been trapped in.

Matthew Nowery, Samaritan’s Purse:

We provide carpentry classes for dads. We provide computer classes for children. We provide sewing classes for women. We have a beauty parlor there. We’ve been able to build deep relationships with these families over several years.

Ayman Girgis, Samaritan’s Purse:

The Grace Community Center has been providing them with unconditional love, and providing them with skills that makes them feel that this is not the end of their situation. They discover in themselves things that they didn’t know they had before.

Sarah Finkbeiner, Samaritan’s Purse:

These women, they’ve lost family members and loved ones, but they’re very resilient. They, alongside 45 other groups of women, have been attending trainings, learning business skills, technical skills, and then have opened up businesses in their local areas.

Shaha Shaban, Beneficiary:

People are very happy for our baked goods, and they tell their neighbors to come and buy from us.

Lamis Danial, Samaritan’s Purse:

In the community here, the girls, they have no right to dream. They have no right to do anything except just to take care of the kids and to do whatever in the house. It’s your right to dream. It’s your right to have your passion and to work for it. It’s empowered the women here.

Fada Yousif, Samaritan’s Purse:

This is a place of love. God is love. When you love, you feel free. You can’t hate, you can’t harm if you are in love. It’s so important. It’s a place you start to learn how to fly.

Matthew Nowery, Samaritan’s Purse:

Iraq has a rich history. Nimrod, Abraham, we know that Jonah was here. I see Samaritan’s Purse as just one link in this historic chain, the open door for Samaritan’s Purse to live and work here in Iraq. It’s nothing short of miraculous, and it’s such a privilege to be able to come alongside these precious families and remind them that they are known and loved by the Creator of the universe.

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet the needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves the Church worldwide to promote the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Samaritan’s Purse International Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) program is committed to meeting the critical needs of victims of war, poverty, famine, disease, and natural disaster. We stand ready to respond at a moment’s notice whenever and wherever disaster strikes. The DART specializes in providing water, food, shelter, and medical care while sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

CONTACT: Kaitlyn Lahm, news@samaritan.org

Read more news on Faith Based / Non Profit Organizations, Humanitarian Services, Disaster Relief, the Refugee Crisis, and Iraq on Missions Box.