Meet Aliza

I've enjoyed the opportunity to get to know some of our incredible Iraqi staff members. Last night I sat in the pharmacy for a while with Aliza* to hear some of her story. She and her family fled their home in 2014 when 1S1S was sweeping through the area. They left just in time—two hours before 1S1S arrived. Aliza's family is now living in Erbil but her father wants to one day return to his home. A few months ago she had the chance to go by her house which is not very far from our field hospital. "It was so dirty," she told me. "1S1S members lived in our house for over one year." Not only did they leave it a mess, but as is common in so many homes, they left behind deadly explosives. The military found two unexploded devices in her home.

Every three days Aliza leaves the safer city of Erbil and travels towards Mosul through a number of security checkpoints on both the Kurdistan and Iraq sides to come work with us at the hospital. Although it's difficult for all of us to see the tragedy of war in this way, Aliza enjoys working here. "It is so different here than anywhere else I have worked." I am so thankful for our national staff and the invaluable resource they are to us. This is their country. Our patients are their neighbors. They can serve them in ways we cannot. Thank you for lifting up all our staff in prayer. It is my hope that everyone will see that the "difference" here is the love of Christ flowing through us for every person who enters these gates.

 *Name changed for security


Thoughts on Leaving

In a little over a week Mark and I will board a plane and head back to the States. I'm honestly trying not to think about it much. As with everywhere I've served, the roots of my heart sink down deep and it soon feels like home. I suppose it's not this country that feels like home—my view basically consists of giant concrete walls and the big blue sky overhead. But it's this community of believers serving together to bring comfort and healing to those who are suffering. When I heard God calling me to full-time ministry in 2005, I remember feeling a love and passion stirring in my heart for vulnerable people—those who were struggling to help themselves. While my role of serving others has looked different in different locations, I have always kept this desire. Here, in this place that often feels as if we're sitting at the doorstep of Hell, we have an opportunity to not only save lives, but to bring a hope and healing that goes beyond this physical world. Outside these walls people have experienced some of the darkest evil imaginable. Inside these walls they've encountered a love many cannot explain. I am so thankful, honored, and humbled to be here. I'm not quite ready to think about leaving. But since I know it's coming, I'll just dig in even deeper as I pray for God to use me to bring His love to this hurting nation. Thank you for your prayers as we finish out our final days here.