Mission to Mafraq 3: Visiting Syrian Refugees in their Homes

Thank you for your prayers and support for Bethlehem Bible College’s 3rd mission outreach this year to Mafraq. Prayers were answered as God gave the team a fruitful mission in Jordan and all the team arrived back home safely.  Team members were: Rev. Alex Awad, Rev. Kristen Brown, Ebtesam Daneal, Jabra Jaber, Ruba Balout,Dana Hawash, Rev. Karl Kroger, Saleem Anfous, Galal Alatrash, Jaklen Khourieh, Jezel Khourieh, Rhema Halabi and Daniel Aqleh.

Rev. Alex Awad, BBC’s group leader, drove his Volkswagen van from Israel to Jordan and in this way assisted the hosting church in Mafraq to facilitate more home visits.  The team, dividing into groups of three or four, drove to various homes and occasionally tents where Syrian refugees were living.  Warm Arabic hospitality was bestowed in every home.  Typically, the home of a Syrian refugee is a very simple, rented apartment or single dwelling, consisting of a big living-room which also serves as a bedroom, tiny kitchen and corner bathroom–in such a dwelling ten or more people live.  During most visits, the team sat in a circle, neither on chairs, sofas nor couches, but rather on mattresses donated by the CMA Church, under whose umbrella the team was serving.  The family, husband, wife and children would usually sit on one side and the team visitors on the other side, as the lady of the house excused herself to prepare hot tea for her guests. The conversation, as expected, focused on the refugees and their stories–many tragic that told of escape from bombings, home destruction, dangers of running away, imprisonment, and diseases. The visiting team listened to their stories, and shared with them that God has not forgotten them, and that there is still hope for the Syrian people.  In almost every home, the team left with tears in their eyes as the families urged them to come back and visit them again.  In each home the team left a parcel of food provided through donations of concerned Christians around the world.

Among the internationals participating were United Methodist clergy members, Rev. Kristen L. Brown and Rev. Karl Kroger. In one home Kristen’s group met a beautiful woman with two small children who clung to her.  “Their eyes and story will haunt my memory for a very long time,” mentioned Rev. Brown.  “Over a cup of coffee we heard her story.  Six months ago, as the shells were coming down around their home, this young Syrian family fled their home.  The father took his son, and the mother picked up her daughter in a blanket, and they ran.  By the time Ghufran, which means forgiveness, reached her husband, he asked her where was their daughter.  Ghufran held the blanket and said, “Here she is.”  He said, “No, she is not in the blanket.”  Frantically, he ran back to their home under bombardment, found their daughter and returned to his wife and son.  Together the family made the long journey to the border and eventuallyarrived in Mafraq.  She showed us the blanket which now comforts and reminds the family of their nightmare.  Ghufran is learning forgiveness in a real way.  God has not forgotten this family; we will never forget them either.  The churchin Mafraq will not forget this family.”