`Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.`
Can you remember six years ago – an event of some kind, how old you were, a season of life that helps you identify that length of time?Although not leading in the news, refugees continue to struggle to find a future. Over six years later, Yazidi women and their families, who were attacked by ISIS, still struggle living to find a new way of life. Thousands of families have been living in makeshift housing, usually in tents or small cinder block rooms. That’s a long time under these conditions.
Their hope has been delayed; their hearts are sick; they struggle to even dream anymore. The pandemic over the past year only added to their already hopeless situation. This is why the Yazidi people now have the highest suicide rate in the world.
Fayrou is a 37-year-old Yazidi woman who escaped the assault of ISIS six years ago. She is a single mum with two children continuing to live in a refugee camp in northern Iraq. Fayrou has been a part of the World Compassion skills training program.
This program provided an opportunity for her to learn the skill of sewing. She’s already making clothes for her children but is now talking about the potential of opening a small store to begin selling the items she makes, providing new income for her family.
Something as simple as sewing allowed Fayrou to hope again, to have a vision for her life and family. All of this is wrapped up in an opportunity for our local church partners, who help facilitate this program, to share Jesus with women just like Fayrou.
One of the teachers recently shared that she was able to pray with a couple of the girls in her sewing class. Later, they came back to her and had questions about Jesus, and she was able to share the Gospel with them.
This is the core mission of World Compassion – to see people come to Jesus by providing for their physical and spiritual needs.
As we continue to empower these women through skills training, we are believing God to heal their hearts as they discover hope for their future.
Your giving is not only bringing tangible relief, but you are sharing the message and hope of Jesus.
