Our true Christmas offer from Mike Simpson, Mosaic Middle East CEO
This may not be a Black Friday or even a Cyber Monday offer, but it is well worth reading! It is what you might call a real Christmas offer.
As we prepare for Christmas, please spare a thought for the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Christians displaced throughout the Middle East.
'Displaced' is such an innocuous sounding word! The brutal reality is that many thousands of families were forced to flee in the face of the murderous army of ISIS. Their homes were ransacked and often burnt or blown apart. Communities were devastated, businesses destroyed and all equipment, machinery and supplies stolen by the terrorists.
Many people lost family or friends. Others witnessed dreadful atrocities. The traumatic impact of all this is very real.
Many now live in Jordan, having fled their own country. They exist in a state of bereavement, shock and frustration, not knowing what the future might bring.
What can we offer these dear Christian brothers and sisters this Christmas?
Restoring Hope in Jordan
We are supporting over 6,000 of them in Jordan with food and other essential support. We have also just opened our first specialist centre for Iraqi refugees there - The Olive Tree Centre.
It was one of the happiest days of my life when I attended the opening of the centre last month. So many happy faces. Why? Because this is a centre for them. A safe place for Iraqi refugees of all ages to receive support and help with the many difficulties they face. You can read much more about the Centre here.
Rebuilding Lives in Iraq
In northern Iraq our focus is on helping those who have returned to their towns and villages on the Nineveh Plain. They are also struggling. Repeatedly they say to us that the two big issues are 'security and jobs'.
We can do little to improve the security situation, which is complex and difficult because of the many militias operating in the area. We can however help to create jobs so that families can be supported.
In 2019 we completed 5 Nineveh SEED projects, including commercial greenhouses, a bakery and the largest chicken farm in Qaraqosh. We have well-developed plans for 7 more Job-creation projects which will go ahead when funding comes in.
And so to our 'True Christmas Offer'
If you help us to help the Christians of Iraq this Christmas you will be blessed even more than them! Strange but true! It is what you might call 'counter-intuitive' and 'counter-cultural'. But I believe we can trust the words of Jesus Christ who said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive". (See Acts 20 verse 35)
Will you help us to help these families this Christmas? A gift of £20 will enable us to provide a food package for a refugee family in Jordan. A gift of £60 will pay for 100 chicks for a new Chicken Farm in Qaraqosh. £500 will cover the running costs of The Olive Tree Centre for a week in 2020. Of course our full scale employment projects cost more, ranging from £8,000 to £50,000. Any help you can give this Christmas will be greatly appreciated.
God bless you for your prayers and kind consideration.
Mike Simpson, Mosaic Middle East, CEO
Please help us to restore hope to Iraqi families this Christmas
You can make a donation via our donate page (there are numerous options for how to donate). Alternatively, you can send us a cheque made out to 'Mosaic Middle East' to: Mosaic Middle East, PO Box 229, Petersfield, Hants, GU32 9DL, United Kingdom. American supporters wishing to make a donation can do so here.
