I just received a heart-wrenching report from our GHNI staff in Jordan. As you have probably heard on the news, the violence in Syria is escalating in tragic proportions. Many of you have expressed great concern, compassion and a desire to give, so we just had to share with you what is going on.

“In the midst of the crisis, Fatima’s husband had been handing out loaves of bread to the poor and their neighbors who had nothing to eat. The following day, some men stopped him and dragged him from his home. No one knew where they were taking him.”

We heard this first-hand account from one of our staff members who returned from Jordan a few days ago, where there are about 120,000 Syrian refugees. Just to warn you, there are tragic details you might find disturbing.

“Fatima welcomed us into her temporary home where she and four women live with their children. They fled Syria together and now live in this small space — all twenty of them. Their husbands are either dead, in hiding or fighting back in Syria.

Fatima is in her 60′s and tells us her story with tears in her eyes. She is from Homs, a city in western Syria that has made headline news because of the horrific violence and crimes committed there.

A day after Fatima’s husband had been taken, his lifeless body was dumped on her doorstep. His body was covered with marks of torture — electric shock and loss of limbs — before they shot him in the head. Fatima had to deal with the traumatic reality of her husband’s brutal murder. They had been married for 40 years.

As if that wasn’t enough, Fatima also shared that her neighbor attempted to flee upon hearing of the murder. He was caught as he tried to escape and dragged along the ground to the front of a tank, which then proceeded to steamroll over him.

As a conservative Muslim, Fatima was dressed from head to toe in her Niqab showing only her eyes. And yet, her eyes revealed so much — grief, anger and hopelessness. She could barely hold back the tears as she shared the story of her husband’s fate not long ago. Our hearts sank as we listened to this women’s heartbreaking story.

Fatima, the other three women and their children don’t have any money. Their greatest challenge is paying the rent for their small quarters. These women are in great need and yet are shy — they don’t have the courage to ask for help.“

And so we are courageous for them, and ask that you would be too. Would you help this family and others like them?

Fatima’s story is only one of many thousands that have fled Syria. Each refugee family has a story to tell.

Under the leadership of Jamal Hashweh, GHNI Director in Jordan, our local staff team is ready to respond. Our initial goal is to adopt at least 25 families, which would mean at least two visits per month to the families and the provision of some mattresses, food, and fans, as well as help with their rent.

Would you consider providing one or more of the items below that will be personally delivered to the families?

$35 pays for a fan (the summers in Jordan will be extremely hot) $50 pays for a box of food (includes 5kg of rice, spaghetti, oil, beans, tea, sugar, powder milk, tomato puree, tuna, and peas. It will feed a family of 4 to 6 for about 10 to 14 days) $50 pays for a mattress $200 pays for 4 food boxes $500 pays for 10 mattresses $500 pays for a few months rent for a family (rent is approximately $220 a month, depending on the place)

More than this, our staff will be visiting them to bring HOPE through the simple act of kindness and generosity that your gifts make possible. Funds received will also be used to help refugees back to their villages when the time is right, where we will help them in their village community development.

Thank you for letting us share. And thank you for wanting to care. We will provide updates as soon as we can.

Hal Jones
President and Founder, GHNI