Containers Bring Aid to Syrian Refugees

Isam Ghattas of Manara Ministries, phoned with joy as the container from Virginia bringing clothing, blankets, medical supplies and food arrived in Amman, Jordan. These goods are destined to help thousands of Syrian refugees who have been forced to leave Syria. Isam ministers to both Christians and not yet Christians who continue to suffer from this terrible tragedy which still has no end in sight. A second container containing shoes, hygienic supplies, cooking oil, soap and many other items left last week headed for Amman.

Besides this ministry of love, Manara is hosting its annual summer program of outreach to youth at Camp Gilead. This program, unique in the Middle East, brings the gospel to life for young people who need to know there is a God who loves them.

Your support is crucial in helping Manara carry out both acts of ministry and acts of mercy in reaching the Middle East for Christ.

Container on its way to Syria

We are glad to let you know that the container that we asked for your help in filling is on its way to Jordan. The clothing, blankets, food, and relief supplies that filled the 40 foot container will bring much needed aid to many refugees. Nonetheless, the situation in Syria continues to worsen.

Here is a letter that we received from Isam Ghattas letting us know about the current situation and asking for your prayers. May the Lord bring much needed relief to them in this desperate hour.

With love,

Lance Thollander
Greetings from Jordan!

We at Manara International are saddened to report that the conflict in Syria grows worse everyday. We’re in dire need of prayer warriors to get through this conflict that has greatly affected Jordan since Syrian refugees have entered Jordan. King Abdullah has stated that the influx of refugees in this country is not something they can manage. There are very few resources to accommodate the 240,000 registered refugees (there’s an estimated 500,000 if all were registered). In total, one million Syrians have fled their home country since the start of the war.

What can we do during this hour of conflict? Prayer is essential and we are reaching out to you for that very purpose!

Besides the horror of all those who have died, there is the painful reality that many Syrian women have had to turn to prostitution to earn money for their families to live on. Not only that, many women are being sold into this lifestyle by families desperate to survive. Please pray for the burden that is upon Syria and its people. Another prayer point is for five women (four daughters and their mom) who came to Jordan from Aleppo without their husbands to seek refuge. We are afraid that these women are in danger of compromising their faith as Christians and becoming Muslim because of the unstable and desperate situation that they’re in.

Please pray that they will receive the accommodations and food that they need to survive in Jordan. One of the daughters has a virus and we were fortunate enough to help her by paying for her hospital visit. The father of this family was killed in Syria and only his wife knows this. She has yet to share the tragic news with her daughters. She also has two sons who are currently locked up in jail in Syria. As you can see, there are a lot of burdens upon this woman’s life so please remember this family in your prayers.

Let us be one voice in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the people of Syria; that God will redeem this country to Himself and that His peace will overflow from our hearts into the nation of Syria.

With love in Christ,

Isam Ghattas on behalf of Manara International

To help support the work in Jordan and Syria, visit our contribution page.

Camp Gilead Prepares for Summer of Ministry

Camp Gilead Prepares for Summer of Ministry | Amman, Jordan

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

This was the scene here in Amman in January, when the worst winter storms in two decades blasted the Middle East. It was very beautiful. But it was also very damaging and deadly. And it did not spare Camp Gilead. As most of you know, Mount Gilead lies east of the Jordan River and extends from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, sixty miles long and twenty wide.

Every summer, hundreds of children from different backgrounds encounter God in Camp Gilead’s two-and-a-half acres, where they are healed from the deadly wounds of sin. They are refreshed and strengthened in a world of trees and open sky, away from TV and traffic and the endless news of death and destruction. And every summer, many who come lost leave saved.

With the arrival of spring and the promise of summer, the children are already looking forward to attending the camps. And we too are looking forward, as we begin long weeks of preparation and training. I don’t know of camp counselors anywhere in the world who are trained as extensively and thoroughly as the young men and women who serve at Camp Gilead. But then, few counselors anywhere else have the challenges that present themselves when ministering to children who are born and raised in a perpetual war zone like the Middle East—children forced to deal everyday with fear, trauma, and hopelessness, in addition to the normal trials of childhood. The first round of counselor training begins next week, at the same time that we start to clean up the mess and damage left by the storms and flooding.

This year, we are also in urgent need of new mattresses and tents, some of which are simply worn out from years of use, some that was damaged by the storms. In addition, we need to repair damaged bathrooms and fences around the campgrounds. Will you join us in our preparations for this powerful ministry to Jordanian children and the children of Iraqi and Syrian refugees?

Pray for protection against Islamic extremists who have threatened and attacked us and the camp in the past. What God is able to accomplish in the children every year is a thorn in the devil’s side. And there is little he will not attempt to stop it. Pray that we will be able to restore the camp to its pre-storm condition. Pray for the counselors as they continue to train.

And please consider sending a gift to help us replace the worn and damaged camp equipment and purchase the truckloads of supplies we need every year to create an environment in which the Holy Spirit is free to minister to the children.

The cost breakdown for the new mattresses, tents, and repairs is as follows:

$3,900 for 130 mattresses ($30 each)

$7,280 for 13 tent canvases ($560 each)

$11,200 for repairs to facilities

Finally, please ask God to send us many children who do not know him, who have never even heard the gospel before. Thank you for your gracious support in the past. We look forward to serving the Lord with you again this year.
Peace be with you

Isam and Nihad Ghattas