FACT:
The refugee camp in Lebanon is very crowded. Yet more people come every day, fleeing from the war and violence in their homeland of Syria. It’s nothing like the homes and apartments people are used to. There is food and water, some medical help, and a couple of hours of school offered each day.
STORY:
Samira, Alia, and Layla are best friends. Samira and Alia are eleven years old, and Layla is ten. Layla says, “I was very scared and sad to leave my country and I didn’t want to leave but we had to because of the bombing.” Alia feels sad about leaving Syria. For her it’s hard to come to a strange place and a strange country. “I don’t like living in a tent,” she says, “In winter the rain will fill the inside and we will have to go outside and wait for them to fix it.” Samira says, “I was so scared. I miss living in my beautiful house. All my cousins still live in Syria and
I cry always. I am afraid they will get hurt.”
Samira, Alia, and Layla do most of the chores like sweeping out the tent or washing the floors, dishes, and clothes because their older sisters are working in the fields. Mostly the girls love to play and talk with each other. Samira likes that Alia can always make her laugh. They don’t have toys but sometimes they play with a rope. All three girls are lucky that their parents send them to school a couple of hours each day. Otherwise they would never learn how to read and write.
When the electricity goes out at night, each family lights a candle and the family sits together. Because the camp is so crowded and they only have plastic or cloth for walls, it gets very loud at night. “I close my ears and try to sleep,” says Samira “but I feel upset and then my ears are hurting me.” When Layla has a bad dream she says she “runs to her mom and sleeps next to her.” She feels
safe with her mom and dad.
REFLECTION:
How is life for Samira, Alia, and Layla the same or different from your life? If you were in their situation, what would be the hardest thing for you? What are ways you have helped others? How does Jesus help us? Look at a map and find Syria and Lebanon.
RESPONSE:
Pray for the girls and all the children at the camp. Your offering will help Samira, Alia, and Layla along with the other children in the camp.
Weekly, we will be posting the materials from the Kids Helping Kids: Refugee curriculum for your ease on our blog. You can access this project and learn more here. On our website you will find helpful resources for these stories including a powerpoint, prayer cards, and maps. Give to this project here.
