Where is Kurdistan?

This past year, our family hasn't been able to travel together as much for work. When the opportunity came up for us to go join our team in Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) for a short trip, we were really excited. Adam had already done some work with our organization in Iraq and Syria in 2020, but it would be my (and the girls) first time).

The plan was for us to fly over together and then for Adam to leave to help facilitate a medical training in Syria with a team. However, at the outset of our trip, the Syrian border closed and our team had to make a new plan. My plan with the girls had been to stay in Erbil, Iraq with the other half of the team and do some relationship building, trainings, and admin tasks. Now the whole team was thrown in to the adventure together.

Every day, we started out with PT and devotions together with our local staff. We also did a lot of fellowship and eating together! It was such a special time for us to get to know our staff and their families better! What a beautiful, welcoming, and hospitable culture.

(Meals with our staff and their extended families, above)

Adam and I also had the opportunity to do some staff trainings in some of our regular areas of work. Adam did a leadership training and I did a Good Life Club training for our local staff and friends. Then, we were able to put on children's programs for two difference communities. One was a local Yazidi community in Erbil, and the other was at the site of a playground installation our local team had just completed (donated by an amazing group called Reload Love, which puts playgrounds in areas where children have been affected by war).

(Playground site)

(Yazidi community children's program and food distribution)

One of my favorite parts of the trip was getting to know some of the individuals I had seen so often in the FBR documentary. I loved meeting Iman (and Suriah)- the woman who was shot by ISIS and laying in the open for 3 days with no food or water. Her daughter, Suriah, ran out to throw her a cord, which allowed the FBR team to pull her to safety. We spent time with their family on two occasions and on the second we watched the documentary together and they saw the footage for the first time where they were rescued. This was such a special family and my girls really enjoyed playing with their children.

Another amazing family we met were Sousan and her mother. There is a recent article about them that shares their tragic story in more details. https://www.freeburmarangers.org/2022/12/20/eight-years-a-slave-of-isis-a-yazidi-girls-break-for-freedom/ Sousan and her whole family were captured by ISIS fighters when ISIS took their town, Sinjar. The women were raped, beaten, and separated from their families. Sousan was passed around as a slave of many ISIS fighters and then spent time at a refugee camp for ISIS families until she was freed. FBR looked for her for many years- trying to find her to free her. When she was finally found, it was amazing. On our trip, our team met with her to celebrate her joining her family members (who were freed many years ago) who have started a new life in Germany. We ate together, went on a weekend trip to the mountains and then prayed over Sousan and her mother before they boarded their plane to Germany. Please do read the article as her story is very impactful.

(Sousan and mother on the left in black and pink)

We also spent time networking and getting to know some of the local community through church, attending devotions at a local large NGO, and attending a local women's Bible study. One of the interesting projects we helped one of our staff with was a large event at the city's famous citidel, hosted by the local Erbil government, welcoming the city of Nashville's mayor and other delegates as they celebrated the two cities officially becoming "sister cities." This was a process years in the making and we volunteered for set up/ take down and helping during the event. It was a great opportunity for our local staff to network and make good connections for our NGO in Kurdistan.

Towards the end of our trip, we also met with some local YWAM leaders who led our team through a DMM (Discipleship Making Mission) training where we learned some new tools for sharing the gospel and starting Bible studies with new believers.

It was really special seeing Eden and Quinn experience a new place and make their own connections with people. They made new friends everywhere they went. Eden's faith seemed to take on a new meaning and she had so many questions as we operated in a predominately Muslim culture. Our team overheard her on a few occasions having interesting conversations with our Muslim neighbor's young daughter about Jesus. Eden had some very interesting insight and really great questions.

Overall, we are so grateful that we were able to take part in this trip and it was honestly really energizing for me (Aimee). I came back really inspired and hopeful that we can be more involved with the work our org does in Kurdistan on an annual basis. A special thank you to all of you who supported the extra cost of our plane tickets to get to Erbil. People were so generous and very timely in their giving. Thank you!!!

Now on to the next adventure... America! We are starting to make our plans for our annual USA trip. Because of the fast paced nature of our work, we are usually pretty depleted at the end of our "year' (our work year begins in September here!). Please be praying for us as we begin making super last minute plans to head to the USA around July 6 (pending visa renewal here in Thailand) for about 8 weeks. We are hoping to really prioritize rest! (cuz we definitely need it). We also hope to attend my cousin's wedding and be a part of my family's celebration of life for Grandpa Owen in early September.

Prayer:

1. Please be praying for a refugee friend we spent a lot of time with in Iraq. He is from a Middle Eastern country but fled for his life after his brother was murdered for leading protests supporting women's rights. He is still waiting for asylum in another country. We spent a lot of time sharing the gospel with him, praying, and teaching English to help him prepare for his new life! (pun intended)

(M working on a puzzle with Eden)

2. Please also be praying for our friend Ibra who became a Christian and was completely disowned by his family. After being homeless for a time, he is now a passionate evangelist at 21 years old and shares Jesus with almost everyone he meets (he finished a YWAM DTS last year too!). He is growing in his ministry and such a blessing to everyone he meets. If anyone is interested in supporting him financially as he ministers to his Muslim community, please reach out to me privately. If ever there were a missionary, its this guy!