“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my kids in school,” Abeer told ICC’s partners in Iraq. Violence took away Abeer’s home, but it couldn’t take her values or her sense of self. She is still bright, hardworking, and savvy—and those qualities are serving her well. She is one of the hundreds of thousands of Christians, and more than 3 million total Iraqis, who have been driven from their homes in the past 18 months.
Abeer and her family were able to rent a small apartment, and on the ground floor a small storage room. She and her children cleaned it, cut a window in the wall to open it up to the street. A grant from ICC to our local partners provided shelving, a refrigerator to keep milk and yogurt fresh, and carefully chosen stock. The shop is bright and tidy, and it’s also proving a success.
Abeer’s hard work and vision are paying off. The store has been open for three weeks, and she’s already making a modest daily profit. Most of those profits are being saved to purchase a freezer so she can sell ice cream as the weather heats up. Because of the store, Abeer is able to pay the fees to keep her kids in school. Please keep Abeer and her family in your prayers.
