Life through the eyes of a child refugee

The terror comes to Amani in flashes.

She remembers rockets shrieking overhead as her family fled their home in Syria. She can still hear the bellowing booms of shells exploding and destroying the homes and buildings in her old neighborhood.

Even six years later, the image of radicals shoving one of her neighbors into a barrel and lighting him on fire — all while the man screamed for help — is burned into her 12-year-old mind.

But the thing Amani remembers most is the overwhelming fear that consumed her. Her family ran as fast as they could to escape and decided to split up to increase their chances. One half headed for the mountains, and the other ran toward the valley.

Amani’s heart thudded in her chest as she ran, frantically trying to keep up with her parents. She was only 6 at the time, so she doesn’t remember much else — just that she feels more at ease in their new home close to the Syrian border … even though they live in a refugee camp.

In addition to the challenges of refugee life, Amani’s family has struggled even more since her father died. As the oldest daughter, Amani does her best to help her mother. She pitches in with chores, looks after her younger siblings, and tries to set an example for them at school.

Her favorite subjects are history and geography, and her dream is to one day be a doctor so she can provide for her family.

Despite the trauma of her past, Amani is doing extremely well in all of her classes. Her teacher even acknowledges that she’ll be an amazing doctor if she can continue her education.

But first, she needs to heal from her emotional scars — and she needs to survive the brutal winter.

Temperatures in the camps are already dipping close to freezing at night, and it will only get colder throughout December and January. It’s also the wettest time of the year, so the rain and snow keep everything damp and cold.

Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable to getting colds and the flu. And with no medical care available, these simple illnesses can quickly turn deadly.

Hearing the wracking coughs throughout the camp in the winter and seeing her own family suffer from sickness is another one of the reason’s Amani wants to become a doctor — so she can help others.

But right now, she is the one in need of help.

Will you give today to help rescue a refugee like Amani? Your $35 gift will multiply over 5X to provide one person with $189 worth of lifesaving aid. You’ll give emergency resources like food, warm clothing, blankets, heaters, medical care, trauma counseling, and more.

And thanks to a matching gift, your $35 DOUBLES to help 2X as many refugees.

You can help refugees like Amani heal from their past, stay healthy in the present, and achieve their dreams for the future — all through your generous giving! And what better time of year than Christmas to show the love of Jesus to people who are suffering.