Iraqi children bounce on a bed in the basement of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Amman, Jordan, where 60 Iraqi Christian refugees are living. Lutheran World Relief has helped the church feed the refugees and remodel the basement to provide some privacy for the 10 families.
The Syrian refugee crisis continues to be an international concern and active threats remain against Christians and other minority religious groups in Syria and Iraq.
Tarek A. Sater, office director and program coordinator, Middle East Council of Churches, told United Methodist News Service the council and Secretary General Father Michel Jalakh are “in constant communication” with churches in both countries.
“Christians in Syria, unlike their brothers in Iraq who have suffered from internal threats for over a decade, are used to living comfortably in Syrian society,” Sater said in an email message.
“The war in Syria has shaken the foundations of the Christians in Syria and caused many to flee, while others refused to leave their homes and have remained stalwart only to suffer from abductions and violence.”
Many faith-based and nongovernmental organizations are aiding Syrian and Iraqi refugees of all religions. The United Methodist Committee on Relief has committed more than $2 million in response to the crisis in Syria and Iraq since late 2013.
