Meet Enaam, a teacher from Iraq, whose life changed when ISIS invaded Qaraqosh. Life was happy and stable for Enaam and her family, despite the challenges faced in her country before the insurgency.
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“Qaraqosh is a Christian town. It is one of the biggest towns in Iraq. The majority of Christians lived in Qaraqosh. Before ISIS, my life was very normal. I was a teacher, and I liked my job. Life was good in spite of all of the hard times in Iraq, before ISIS,” says Enaam.
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But after ISIS, everything changed. Enaam and her family were forced to leave everything behind to avoid capture by the insurgents.
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“They attacked all of the houses in Qaraqosh and dropped everything, and captured all of the people that they found. They are missing even now. [We] don’t know anything about them. We think that they are all dead. Troops came to attack peaceful people living their normal lives, just because they were not from the same religion. I never thought that this would happen to us.”
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Enaam’s family had to leave their jobs and live wherever they could find safe lodging. They lived on farms, on the steps of a church, and even shared a small house with another family; her entire family living in a single room for three years, sleeping and eating in the same space without any privacy or normalcy.
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“I started losing my focus in many things. Maybe it’s a trauma. Until now, I see the nightmares.”
Enaam, her brother, and her mother were finally able to get safe passage out of Iraq and a visa to Jordan, which is currently safe from the dangers of ISIS. Even though Christians are safe here, life has not been easy since arriving in Jordan. Iraqi refugees are not allowed to work in Jordan or receive an income of any kind. They must rely on the assistance of organizations like American FRRME in order to eat, to afford lodging, and to educate their children.
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“From the first day we arrived here in Jordan they told us about a revival church and American FRRME. Living here as a Christian is very safe. We feel safe here in Jordan. But the hardest thing is how to live. We don’t have incomes. With American FRRME, we get food boxes, food coupons. They helped us with medicine also. Without their help, we couldn’t stay or survive here. We are so grateful, so thankful for [everyone’s] help. You are the light.”