Running for our brothers and sisters
| Support Joseph! | |
| Roman Run for Erbil | |
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Fundraising Honor Roll
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Dear Friends,
Greetings from Rome! The year has flown by as I prepare to return home to South Dakota and receive ordination to the priesthood on June 2nd. I hope you can come and share my joy on that day.
As you can see, this page is set up to allow you to donate to a cause that I've become involved in this semester: the situation of our persecuted brothers and sisters in Iraq. You are probably aware that things have gone from bad to worse for Christians and other minorities in the Middle East. However, the Church is not leaving them alone. The thousands of refugees in Iraq are being met by Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic organization whose roots go back to the efforts to rebuild Europe after the devastation of war in the 20th century. Today they are providing much-needed resources to displaced Christians who have sought refuge in the province of Erbil.
Specifically, we are running to raise support for a program offering food packages for the 12 000 displaced families from Mosul and Nineveh. The Food Package received by a family costs $60 per month all-inclusive with zero additional transportation or administrative costs. This program is run by a volunteer committee of committed Christians. All the supplies are purchased, prepared and distributed at the local level, supporting rather than replacing the local infrastructure and economy.
This project has been going on since refugees first started arriving in Erbil, and with your help we are hoping to raise enough funds to extend it through this June.
Thank you for your generous consideration. God bless you, your families, and our brothers and sisters in the Middle East.
In Christ,
Deacon Joseph
PS - To read more about the situation of Christians in Erbil, this article is a good place to start: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/report-from-erbil-christian-refugees-faith-endures-amidst-a-sea-of-troubles