Zrobisz to razem z nami? Świąteczna niespodzianka dla dzieci z Iraku

ENGLISH VERSION

For Christmas surprise for kids from Iraq. Let’s do it together!

As a result of a bomb explosion Khalid lost his ability to hear. The story of this accident is dramatic and common for thousands children from Iraq. In August 2014 many families experienced genocide - ISIS performed mass killings, rapes, women and children were taken to captivity. During they escape, the boy’s family stopped to find gas to tank the car. That’s when the bomb exploded. Khalid survived but the membrane in his healthy ear broke and he lost his hearing (before that, he could only hear on one ear).

In the refugee camps we have met children running without shoes or with shoes without soles. When they see someone new they call: “hello”, “ what’s your name?” or “how are you?”, very often twisting these phrases in an amusing way.

A short answer, smile, Kurdish “baszi” or Arabic “salam alejkum” result in escalation of joy. Moments like this allow them to forget about the past, even if it is for a very brief period of time. Happiness in the camp has very little to do with the screen of a smartphone. Spending time together means happiness. When it cools down, boys run to the fields to play soccer and right behind them run clouds of dust. They wear old shirts with names of : Messi and Ronaldo.

War and a necessity of abandoning their homes caused changes that can not be reversed. Young Aleena said that the best thing for her family would be to leave the country: “ because of the mass killings.” She doesn’t believe that it is over. Children in Iraq are forced to accelerated maturity. Christmas is the time of togetherness and gift giving because we have been given the biggest gift of heaven - Savior came to the world. We would like to give this children a little bit of normality and we would like to give them gifts.

What will we buy with the donated amount?

- worm clothes and shoes (winter is coming to Iraq, it is a cold time here; it is very cold in the camp’s tents

- hats protecting from the summer sun

- toys and sweets. We would like to offer this to about 500 children ( at the age 1- 12) from the refugee camp in Dawoodia, from the Ozal City clinic, situated on the outskirts of Irbil. And also children from poor families that we have met here in Iraq.

Together, we can do a lot. We can’t change the whole world, but we can help many people in need and make a difference. Thank you all who engage in a Christmas surprise for children from Iraq.

You are invited to participate in this event by Radoslaw Siewniak and Zuzana Ulman together with "To The Source" and "STEP-IN" organization.