“Your Blessing, Father”--“Barokhmour, Abouna”

Despairing friends from Syria

by Rev. Fr. Imad Twal, Director General

Have you read in the newspapers about the mass exit of Syrian families fleeing or evicted from their homes, villages and cities? They are looking for a new country to take them in as guests and house them. Some are Aramaic speakers and hearing “Barokmour Abouna" “Bless us, Father” in the language of our Lord brings home to me and inspired His message of love and hope and how close it is to us. That is what we try to live at Our Lady of Peace Centre (OLOPC).

Starting in November 2012, OLOPC began to receive brothers and sisters in Christ coming from Hasakah, Lathakia, Aleppo and Damascus in Syria. Christians and Muslims, and looking for guest homes. They need shelter for usually a few weeks before being able to move on. Hotels are expensive for them. Winter is especially difficult in Jordan with the cold and even snow. We have so far welcomed more than 35 families, each one made up of individuals with the many problems that come from having to leave one’s home at short notice. Their needs are not only material and financial but also emotional and spiritual and they need us to show them God’s love at its fullest.

 

OLOPC is a bridge bringing God's mercy to those in need through human means. OLOPC was founded as a home for people with disabilities, each one also an individual with positive abilities, talents and gifts.  OLOPC is a school to educate people for life and communion. OLOPC is a Church of brotherhood and love between communities and faiths. OLOPC is a home open for all and that is why we are welcoming these guests from Syria.

Blessed John Paul II said "Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ.”  This message goes out to these Syrian families, to all the other Syrian refugees, and to ourselves:  “Open your heart to God's love; You will find a mystery of love in his regard.” "Love God, Serve God, everything is in that" (St. Claire of Assisi).

OLOPC gives thanks and gratitude to all our friends who have helped us to keep the centre open for our original humanitarian mission to our brothers and sisters with disabilities as well as now looking after our new friends from the Syrian families. "Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small for one who has nothing. Neither is it small for God, if we have given what we could" (St. Gregory Nazianzen).

Here we seek to show in witness and communion that WE ARE ONE CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH.

Rev. Fr. Imad Twal is director general of Our Lady of Peace Center in Amman, Jordan.