![[Image description: photograph of a red marbled plastic wristband on a table. The words "IRAQI CHRISTIANS" can be seen on the outside of the wristband.]](https://149442806.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/SWICband.jpg)
I never gave a great deal of thought to the idiom “banding together.” However, as I sit at my desk and look at a trio of reddish swirled plastic wristbands, I become reflective. These simple bands represent a great deal more. Of course, I turn to the Web to launch an inquiry. It turns out
![[Image description: Ashur and Father Chris stand next to the bed of the truck, looking at the camera and posing for the photo. They have their arm around the other's shoulders.]](https://149442806.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Ashur_14.png)
My dear friends, I am writing on my last night in Erbil. I am hoping you have been able to get a glimpse of the exciting and important nature of this mission to our friends and partners in the Middle East from these posts. It has been a very moving experience, in both directions that
![[Image description: a group of boys dressed in white martial arts gis pose for a camera off to the right. The boy in the front is doing the center splits, the other boys are doing fight stances with their arms.]](https://149442806.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Ashti_14.png)
One day our friend from Etuti Institute, Ninos Haddad (standing left), took Quint and me to see a group of boys, about ages 6-14, who were training in martial arts at the Ashti IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp. The coach, Allin, (standing right) also a resident of an IDP camp, was an extraordinary instructor, and
![[Image description: several smiling children stand with their arms outstretched in front of them, waving at someone off camera.]](https://149442806.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/14681774_371903189807714_187677349961276128_n.jpg)
Yesterday was a day of unrelieved fun and joy. First we spent the morning with the most adorable and loving children imaginable at the Ashti IDP camp (Internationally Displaced Persons). These pics can’t capture the delight and excitement of the children as they showed off for and were deeply fascinated with the camera. They all
![[Image description: Father Chris sitting in a room behind his video camera. Three children are next to him, intently fixated on the video camera and Father Chris's explanations.]](https://149442806.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/14650180_371905399807493_4514957782988434687_n.jpg)
Click on the thumbnails to see the full images (and captions)! [aesop_gallery id=”2209″ revealfx=”off”]
This is one of the participants from the Etuti Institute’s Fine Arts Workshop on Saturday. The children were asked to paint a memory from their childhood. She painted this picture of herself leaving Baghdeda. It is because of stories like hers that Etuti and Stand With Iraqi Christians exist. For more information be sure to
Good morning! Well, as my pic and post suggested last night, we are making treasured new friends and doing some great work: both the Etuti Institute project we funded for children and the caravan building project for destitute Christians in Sulaymaniyah have just been fantastic successes. As with everything else in life (and Iraq in
Just had an awesome conversation with Father Faiz Jerjees. I love this man. He has one of the hardest jobs in all the church, pastoring the amazingly diverse congregation and programs at St. George’s in Baghdad. Quint and I just couldn’t help making a direct contribution to him. Father Faiz cares for an extraordinary spectrum
These are our wonderful new friends Father Schnuder and Onur, the forces behind the caravan building project. After filming the progress of the work they treated me and Quint to a delicious Iraqi meal. The table was literally piled high with food: meats, breads, fresh vegetables. I finally had to insist that Fr. Schnuder stop
SWIC .