Monday, December 21, 2015

Surprised by Joy


Amid the darkest time of their lives, a moment of merriment sneaks up on Syrians who have fled to a refugee camp in Suruc, in southern Turkey, to escape civil war and the terrors of the Islamic State. Suruc is a few miles from the war-ravaged city of Kobani on the Syrian side. The leader of an indigenous ministry providing aid in Suruc recently received an urgent plea from a Christian worker who said they had run out of diapers and had only a week's supply of baby food left. "Please pray," his co-worker told him. "There are also 81 parentless babies on the Kobani side; they are waiting for support." The ministry leader said a generous donation from Christian Aid Mission supporters was nothing short of miraculous. "I told my co-worker I would bring enough baby food and diapers, as well as vitamins for the elderly," he said. "There are four camps in the Suruc area, and a total of 184 babies. With the 81 more on the Kobani side, in total there were 265 babies, and we have given enough to them to provide for two months of needs, plus vitamins for the elderly." That was six weeks ago, and the opportunity to bring such intervals of joy continues.

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