There isn’t much left of Syria today. The destruction to infrastructure is estimated in the billions, the economy has collapsed, and their currency has little value. The devastation to human life is incalculable, and has created the worst refugee crisis in modern history. In Syria alone, over 6.5 million people have been internally displaced, and over 2.5 million have fled to live as refugees outside their country.

The destabilization of Syria allowed for the rise of ISIS, the most extreme Islamic group in existence. ISIS has besieged cities throughout Syria and Iraq, claiming a new country for themselves called the Islamic State. Their “nation” is the size of Great Britain and covers territory in both countries. The implementation of their extreme form of Islam has resulted in mass killings of minorities, modern slavery, rape, child soldiers, and public beheadings. Their barbaric actions have caused fear to spread throughout the region and displaced more than a million people inside of Iraq.

Nearly a million refugees from Syria and Iraq have fled into Kurdistan seeking safe haven from an evil dictator and Islamic extremists. Thousands of families are in need of immediate help.

This promise is why we believe Kurdistan is a strategic location for the church to invest in the Middle East. Freedom of religion is written in the constitution of Kurdistan. Current government officials have expressed their desire to see religious freedom become a reality in their semi-autonomous region of Iraq, presenting a historic opportunity for the Body of Christ to rally together and minister the Gospel in the Middle East.

This extension of freedom is historic in the Middle East. It provides the opportunity for Christians in the West and in Kurdistan to partner together in an initiative that could be a catalyst for revival in the Muslim world. Today we can bring hope and preach the Gospel through humanitarian aid and train and empower the local church to establish new churches among those reached.

World Compassion is connecting donors around the world with churches and believers living in Iraq to serve Syrian and Iraqi refugees every day. We provide monthly food distributions for 4,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees, present the gospel message, and give them Bibles and The Story of Jesus booklets. We also provide seasonal items such as blankets, heaters, and coats to help refugees cope with the difficult weather conditions.