Among Christian Refugees in Kurdistan, 'No One is Angry at God'

Catholic News Agency ^ | 1/11/15 | Oliver Maksan

[marshmallow]

Erbil, Iraq, Jan 11, 2015 / 06:01 am (Aid to the Church in Need).- “Thank you, thank you, thank you:” Suheila, an elderly Christian woman from Mosul was effusive in expressing her gratitude to a group of European visitors. "May God make things easy for you in your lives."

Home for Suheila is the Sports Club Center in Ankawa, where more than 200 Christian families from Bakhdida (Qaraqosh) have found shelter in mobile homes: "This is really a big improvement. I'm grateful for it. But in general, of course, this is no life. We've lost everything. The worst thing is that we don't know when or whether we will be able to return to our homeland."

Suheila has been on the run since June. She ran for her life twice, along with thousands of others. When the Islamic State overran Mosul in early June, thousands of Christian fled.

"First we went to Qaraqosh. But when ISIS advanced there in August, we had to flee again. Now we have been here in Ankawa for four months. But none of us is angry at God. Fortunately we are all still alive,” the woman proclaimed.

Last summer left indelible memories when tens of thousands of Christians fleeing the Islamic State flooded the towns of Kurdistan in scorching August heat. Given the lack of suitable accommodations, they often slept on the bare ground under the open sky, even in Ankawa, the Christian district of Erbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq. The people lay on the pavements and under bushes.

[paterfamilias]

I wish Pope Francis had the time to write an encyclical about this.

[Mrs. Don-o]

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