A decade since the Genocide

     Today, August 3rd 2024, marks ten years since ISIS began its campaign against the religious minority groups here. The summer of 2014 there was a rise of ISIS that brutally destroyed many lives, villages and towns across Syria and Iraq.   ISIS has committed a genocide against humanity.  These crimes were committed against different minority groups such as the Iraqi Yazidi and Syrian Yazidis, Shabak, Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac Christian, and Turkmen communities.

      Back in 2014, early in the morning of August 3rd, ISIS began its attack on Sinjar. There were tens of thousands who tried to escape with their children and the elderly.  Many fled with just the clothes on their back leaving behind their belongings, animals and homes.  There were hundreds captured by ISIS.  ISIS divided them into groups and killed large numbers of the men in front of family members watching.  Close to 200,000 Yazidis were able to escape to Mount Sinjar.  ISIS surrounded them, leaving them stranded there for days with no food or water.  Due to dehydration and malnutrition, there were yet more Yazidis who died.  ISIS also abducted women and girls to sell into sex slavery, while young boys were taken to training camps of ISIS.  Since the attack in August 2014, it is believed that 5,000 Yazidis have been killed. There are still mass graves being uncovered today.  According to the Yazidi Rescue office, ISIS kidnapped 6,417 Yazidis.  We have heard there are still more than 2,600 missing and know that there are close to three thousand that have been orphaned due to ISIS.

       Even though a decade has gone by there are still 150,000 survivors living in IDP camps across Iraqi Kurdistan.   We have seen hundreds from Camp Kabarto alone, making that move back to Sinjar to restart their lives there.  We know that they will face many challenges as they try to rebuild their lives and community there.  We pray that God would help the people with adjusting to their new lives and for His protection.  Thousands continue to remain in the camps and have expressed fear of repeated violence if they return, along with there being a lack of schools, health facilities and electricity in Sinjar.

     Christians, Shabak and Turkmen were also abducted and killed by ISIS.  In June of 2014, Christians in Mosul were either killed, given the option to convert, pay a tax or leave. We have heard stories of the crimes committed against Christians there.  In August 2014 ISIS took control of all the Assyrian towns that were in the Ninevah plains which caused a mass displacement.  Houses and Churches were destroyed with many fleeing.  We are not sure of the exact number of Christians taken and sold into sex slavery or how many are still missing today.  Since 2003, the number of Christians has decreased from around 1.5 million to now around 250,000 people.

     Steven and Jona Mirabella, founders of MFI (Mesopotamia Frontiers International) give their deep condolences to those that lost their loved ones during the genocide.   We grieve the loss of loved ones and encourage those who survived to not lose hope for the return of those still missing.  We continue to pray that those thousands of women, that are still missing would be returned home to their families.  We pray for God to also protect each of these innocent children that have been orphaned due to ISIS, that they would be protected, cared for and loved.  May hearts and lives be healed from the pain and trauma experienced and remain resilient.  There is hope for tomorrow!

 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” -Jeremiah 29:11

Learn about our $5 Giving Campaign

As MFI, we want to invite you to join our $5 monthly giving campaign. It has been amazing to see how God has provided for MFI to run since 2021. We have local staff from Iraqi Kurdistan and in Rojava Syria that are hired for various jobs to help with translation and with some of the legal requirements. We have run many programs, not only in our MFI Community Center, but also in multiple Syrian Refugee camps and IDP (Internally Displaced Peoples) camps. We been able to teach multiple programs to children, youth and adults that help to bring hope and aim to see lives and communities rebuilt. We are grateful for the foundation project that was completed in Syria which is literally being used to this day to help keep families warm in their tents! It has been amazing to see how He has provided for the needed relief of food, blankets and kerosene for Syrian refugees, Yazidi ISIS survivors and orphans that have been affected by war both in Iraqi Kurdistan and North East Syria.

MFI, has served not only as a platform for us to be able to live and serve in this nation but also gives us the ability to reach out to the needs of those hurting in this Mesopotamia Region with God's love. Your $5 donation will help to continue to run all we do on the ground effectively!

Here on our MFI website you can partner with us by giving your monthly re-occurring gift of $5 a month for one year. All donations are tax deductible. Under Fund click: Where Most Needed

Thank you for partnering with us to make a difference in the lives of these beautiful people!

Community Center in Kabarto Camp

During the hot month of June, we had many programs happening in the MFI Community Center in Kabarto Camp. With each season we love to provide an open space for those who want to grow and expand their learning and abilities.

Young adults and people with different ages were able to come and participate in Computer, English, and Children’s programs. Along with our local Yazidi staff, it was a joy to see those that came to the community center go back home encouraged and challenged to continue to grow. One of our MFI teachers who taught the Art Program said, “It was a lovely time of being creative. It definitely helped to improve their confidence and self-esteem.”