By Michelle King
01/12/2017 Washington, D.C. (International Christian Concern) – In 2014, ISIS invaded Qeraqosh, Iraq, driving most of the Christians out of the city. Those who did not leave were charged a hefty tax. Christians escaped to several cities including Erbil and Sulaimanya, but just because they escaped ISIS’s terror did not mean that they could live securely. Ten families escaped ISIS by fleeing to Sulaimanya, a city in the mountains near the Iranian border. Without jobs, resources, or a community, the families had to stay in tents on the property of a Coptic church.
For two years, these families have endured brutally cold winters and hot summers in tents without heat, air conditioning, running water, or other necessities. “We’ve been living here in tents [for] more than two years as IDPs [internally displaced people]. Frankly, we suffered a lot from raining, snowing, high temperature and insects,” said Sami. Other issues included cleanliness. Noora confessed, “Living in tents was not easy. I was cleaning the tent all the time and it was still never clean.”
Location is one of the reasons we had not heard these 10 families’ stories. Sulaimanya is more isolated than other cities, such as Erbil, where International Christian Concern (ICC) has led numerous microfinance and assistance projects. Fortunately, an ICC representative visited the church that was housing these families and enquired about the tents. Horrified at the living conditions, ICC partnered with StandwithIraqiChristians.org to build 10 semi-permanent caravan houses for these families before winter’s first snow.
The entire construction took approximately six weeks, although there were times it appeared that the homes would never be completed. For two weeks, ICC staff and contractors in Iraq debated the pros and cons of 4” versus 6” pipes, material, placement, and types of toilets to install in the homes. Despite the frustrations accompanying the building process, 10 families moved into their new homes right before the first snow.
“Thank you for moving us to caravans. The most important things in that the caravan include the kitchen and bathroom, which the tent did not have,” said Sami.
Noora worries less about keeping her family’s home clean and sanitary now that they are in a house. She is also thankful that “living in caravans provides more privacy to our life.” Ibrahim sees his new house as an important tool to further his children’s education because they “have more lighted space to study.”
ICC has identified more than 40 families in Sulaimanya alone who are in similar situations. They are currently enduring yet another winter without permanent homes, exposed to the brutal cold. ICC will continue seeking ways to provide relief and stability for such families in Iraq and we hope that you will partner with us to bring warm, private, and safe homes to displaced Christians.