Food and Hope for a Syrian Family
“You are the candle that turned the darkness in my life into light,” said Farah, a young mother in northwestern Syria, expressing her gratitude for the assistance her family receives through World Renew.
The war in Syria is now in its fifth year and has caused untold violence and devastation across the country. When the fighting arrived in the city where Farah was living with her husband and two little girls, there wasn’t time for careful planning.
The young parents packed up their children and ran from their home in the middle of the night in their pajamas. They brought nothing else with them.
It was difficult and scary as they made their way through the streets outside their home, stepping over dead bodies, and trying to shield their daughters’ eyes from seeing the horrors all around. Unfortunately, their nightmare didn’t end there.
Outside of the city, Farah and her husband came to a security checkpoint. It was here that Farah’s husband was taken away by armed militants.
She has not seen him since.
When Farah, who has also been taken, was released, she took her daughters by the hand and continued her journey. After nine hours of difficult travel, they finally arrived at a relatively calm coastal city in northwestern Syria.
Frightened, penniless and alone, Farah did the only thing that she could think of as a next step. She had heard that churches were helping displaced families, so she made her way to a local church and sat on the dark sidewalk out front until someone arrived in the morning.
She was fortunate. The church leaders took Farah and the girls to a monastery and let them stay there for a week. The church also helped the family find a room they could rent and a job for Farah in a clothing shop. They even paid for the first two months of rent.
Farah felt blessed, but it wasn’t enough. Her job in the clothing store pays very little. When the church’s assistance ran out, she struggled to meet her family’s needs. They ate very small meals – just enough to take the edge off their hunger. When there was no money left, they ate nothing at all.
Farah knew that that this situation could not continue, so she returned to the church. This time the church connected her with a team from World Renew’s food assistance project.
This project is funded by the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and is providing monthly food rations to families like Farah’s.
The team visited Farah to assess her situation and signed her up for the monthly rations.
While the family’s needs remain great in this time of war in Syria, Farah takes comfort in the fact that her family’s food needs are met.
She says that this small investment has helped her find hope even when her situation at times appears hopeless.
On March 6, many churches across Canada will be holding a Canadian Foodgrains Bank Sunday offering. Gifts towards World Renew’s account at the Canadian Foodgrains Bank will make it possible for programs like this to continue so that more people like Farah can be helped. Donate online today.
People living in the United States can also support this ministry through gifts marked for “Syria Conflict” or “International Disasters Response – Where Needed Most.” Click here to give.
