By Andrea Vogt | International Director Operation Mercy
Dear friends of Operation Mercy,
during my recent visit to Iraq - Bagdad, Mosul and Erbil - i was struck by the connection of Hope and Beauty ... Hope and Creativity and the resilience this combination creates.
All over Iraq I saw art, paintings in street shops in Bagdad, an amazing Art Cafe in Erbil but Mosul touched me most of it.
It could be called: Beauty out of Ashes, like in the books of the prophets. There were wall murals on houses that had been shelled, court yards restored to amazing beauty right next to a bombed out square, the rebuilding of ancient buildings mosques, churches, temples destroyed by ISIS is happening and the beauty of the culture restored.
Art helps us to process, it expresses things from deep within our soul, it heals and as people use their inborn creativity, create beauty - hope springs up, the spirits are lifted, new life can start.
The Operation Mercy Team in Mosul - holds a character development course, which is attracting many people from all area of society - The people of Mosul don't just want to create beauty on the outside, they want to be beautiful inside as well - they want to not only create art but kindness, love, gentleness - even love and forgiveness, restored relationships in the midst of distrust.
What could be more beautiful?
As I reflect on this - i see how restoring hope and beauty are so closely related - in our women's empowerment projects in North Macedonia women learn to tailor ball gowns and wedding dresses, and the course finishes with a fashion show, but the women also learn that they are beautifully made, in the image of their creator God, valued and gifted.
In Tajikistan women with disability learn their worth and value, in Afghanistan babies and pregnant women receive health care and nutrition - otherwise denied to them simply due to their gender - women all over our projects learn they are loved and gain hope through the work we do.
I normally don't ask for support of specific countries in these newsletters, but the three last named: Afghanistan, North Macedonia and Tajikistan - are basically out of project funding. So if you want to support one of them specifically this month as you read this newsletter, please don't hesitate to give here via GlobalGiving - and put the country into a comment, we will then make sure the funds reach that specific project.
Thanks for your support
Andrea
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