An Unexpected Visit to a Mall

I’m walking through a refugee camp in Erbil, Iraq, where thousands of Christians who were displaced by ISIS have fled in recent months. But this refugee camp looks different than you might imagine: it’s in a shopping mall. After walking past rows of stores selling clothing, shoes, and cosmetics, I eventually reach an area of the mall where more than 150 Christian families are living in small apartments graciously donated by the owner of the shopping mall. Clothing and towels are draped along the balconies of the mall, and as I look down the staircases I can see floor after floor of housing, where refugees are cooking, cleaning, organizing the few possessions they own. Most of these families arrived here in Erbil with little more than their clothing. Stripped of their homes and their money – everything they owned – when ISIS invaded Mosul and surrounding villages, these families are surviving on food and basic supplies provided by Open Doors. To find out more, please visit: www.opendoorsusa.org