“The hope that does not go out”

Ammar* and his family fled their home in 2012 and experienced multiple displacements since then. They now live in an unfinished apartment in Syria that has no door—only an opening covered by a blanket. Moisture covers the walls, sewage disposal is inadequate, and the entrance to the building is surrounded by waste. We are told it feels “less like a house and more like a tent made of concrete.”

Since displacement, Ammar relies on irregular day labor. “One day I work, ten days I don’t. Sometimes I carry refrigerators or heavy furniture. Often, there is nothing.”

The food parcel from CAM supporters became a turning point. “The parcel is very important to us,” said Ammar. “For my children, the milk is everything. For us, the oil and flour mean we can cook. Without the parcel, we would eat bread and water—if we could even afford bread.

“When I get the message that the parcel is ready, I feel joy as if I had gained the whole world. It gives us comfort and eases our burden greatly.”

Rama, his wife, shares the same gratitude: “We thank the donors from our hearts. Our situation is very difficult. We cannot afford school for our children. Sometimes we cannot pay rent. Sometimes we borrow. Sometimes a benefactor helps us.”

Despite everything, the family holds onto one certainty. “The only positive thing in our lives is that we are not without food now. Every month, we know we will have something to eat. This parcel is the only shining thing in our lives—the hope that does not go out.”

Through the Food Parcels for Syrian Refugees program, families like Ammar’s are not only protected from hunger but also given something equally vital: the assurance that they are not forgotten.

This project reflects our calling to stand with those who suffer. Reaching families like Ammar’s provides a place of refuge, dignity, and hope amid fear and displacement. Simple acts of care, such as providing food and milk, bear witness to Christ’s love through practical and life-sustaining ways.