Yours truly, Dan in Iraq.

Hey everyone!

In case you didn’t know, I went to Iraq.

I’ve been in here for two weeks now. It’s really hard to describe the experience, I honestly have hardly had time to even wrap my head around it. I’ve been surprised countless times by the joy I’ve encountered. I’ve heard many stories, many of which have moved to tears, others that have nearly broken me in half with laughter. Most nights I fall asleep before I can pull the covers over me; other nights I lay awake for what feels like days, wondering how the world got so broken and yet still remains so beautiful. As I run through endless scenarios of how I could fix everything, I quickly realize I am just so very small. 

Some people have asked me why I would ever want to go to Iraq. Short answer: As a follower of Jesus, I believe that the darkest and most hurting places are where I belong. Those places are not just in Iraq. They are all over the place, obviously, but I kept waking up in the middle of the night for a really long time with an ache in my heart and Iraq in my brain. It is pretty simple. Honestly, I am not ever really sure what I’m doing most days, but I’ve rarely been more excited about life. It’s also been really hard at times, and in those moments I tend to question everything. But I truly believe in what I am doing, which is a gift. And my reasons for being here remain… and as I think more about it, I guess I am just trying to learn what it means to follow Jesus.

So what does the day to day look like? Since arriving, I have had Arabic lessons twice a week, which has been really fun. It’s nice to have a bit of a foundation to work off of. There are a couple weekly prayer and worship times, which are so good! I have been helping with a few different programs in refugee camps, whether it’s carpentry and fitness for men, or games and songs with kids. I’m tutoring two Yazidi boys with English, and am working in a both a Syrian community and one refugee camp specifically to help run programs for little kids. We teach English, sing songs, and play games. Blessed pandemonium. 

I am so heartbroken by the people I meet here daily. These families have fled wars and armies, terrorists and airstrikes. Children watching their parents die by both the hands of terror and bombs of liberation. Parents burying children and raising their siblings, children who have never known what peace is. The psychological monotony of a refugee camp does little to alleviate the trauma of the past these families have fled from. 

This is a world I do not understand. I do not know how to respond. But I truly believe that Christ in me understands suffering. With that, my hope is that I can be a small part of something that gives joy and hope for these families. I want kids feel like they can be kids, even if their current reality would suggest otherwise. I want them to know that they are so loved and so important.

I will be here for one month total. I guess you could call this the halfway update. Thank you for all of you who have been supporting me in so many ways.

I love you all, and am looking forward to seeing you soon!

Yours truly,
Dan