This week our world suffered another blow. Amid the relative stability of hard-won, post-ISIS recovery, families in the mountainous region of eastern Turkey, NE Syria, and northern Iraq were just preparing for harsh winter weather. Then, sudden redeployment of peacekeeping soldiers this week immediately set off a political power struggle we’ve watch unfold. In its wake over the last 4 days some 50,000 families from this region were uprooted and are fleeing across the snow-covered Taurus Mountains.
Says the United Nations Refugee agency, “The situation has reached another a critical phase. Humanitarian assistance is overstretched and on the decline… Refugee vulnerability is increasing, and humanitarian assistance with our scarce resources is not sustainable.” In other words, we are overwhelmed trying to care for humans in crisis.
What can you and I do? First, be informed and don’t let this new tragedy become old news. Second, make a financial gift to a reputable international relief agency. Third, contact your official representatives and urge action to relieve the suffering of these families in flight. And finally, be kind to all strangers.