SWIC .
As part of our aid, I distributed about a month’s worth of food to refugees temporarily staying near Banasour, a small village about 2 hours from Erbil. I was accompanied
Stories from Iraq
![[Image description: elementary-aged students sit in two rows, facing he camera, displaying the electronic tablets donated to their school by SWIC, thanks to your generous donations.]](https://149442806.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/swic-kids-w-tablets.jpg)
A portion of the monies we brought to Erbil in October went to supply tablets to the children and teachers at Mar Qardakh. In combination with donations from others around
This gentleman (who declined to give his name) is one of the over 150 families living in Fr. Douglas’s Mar Elia family center. He lives in a 10′ x 15′
This week’s footage: a brief clip featuring Rami, one of the teachers I met in my travels. I met many fine teachers at Mar Elia in Erbil. Their commitment to the
Dear friends, Since returning from Iraq we have been organizing footage (I shot quite a bit for a two week period), conducting additional interviews in the States and embarking on
Good morning and greetings to those here in the U.S. and to our new friends who may be reading this in Iraq. Please pardon my being out of touch a
![{Image description: photograph taken from behind a group of people sitting along the length of a long table. There are a few people standing in front of the table, talking to those sitting. It is night, they are gathered outside.]](https://149442806.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/erbil17.jpg)
Written Friday evening, my last in Erbil (for now): I don’t know when you had a moment or an experience that simply changed you or how you experience the world.
I am spending the night in one of the most peaceful places I have ever been. It’s a monastery located atop Mount Alfalf, about 35 kilometers from Mosul and originally
![[Image description: photograph of a volleyball field in a courtyard, at light, lit up. The photograph is looking down on the court, as if taken from a window on a high floor in a nearby building.]](https://149442806.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/IMG_0465.jpg)
Just got back from the final championship game of the Mar Elia volleyball tournament. Great fun to watch some really pretty outstanding volleyball, and be mercilessly bugged by children who
I really needed to spend some time alone in my hotel room this Saturday morning, ignoring the phone and the quiet knocks at my door from my buddy Ramadan who