THE P
RTAL
Aid to the Church in Need
July 2018 Page 20
Goodness and mercy in the Valley of the Christians in Syria
Murcadha O Flaherty reports
Despite the ceasefire in Syria , the war ’ s impact is still as bad as it was at the height of the conflict according to medical staff at Mzeina Hospital . The hospital is located in the rural Syrian town of the same name , one of several settlements in the Valley of the Christians close to the border with Lebanon . Describing the ongoing suffering endured by the people , the hospital ’ s director Dr Sam Abboud said , “ The hospital has been open for four years now and for the past two years the number of admittances , operations and basic treatments has been growing steadily .” The hospital treats thousands of people every month and has up to 500 inpatients .
Dr Abboud told an Aid to the Church in Need project team visiting Syria that the hospital has a special programme for children and young people with hearing problems arising from the years of conflict . The doctor said , “ Many of these cases are caused by bombs and other explosions during the war .” Even with a lack of infrastructure , difficulties in obtaining new medical equipment and constant power cuts , the doctors and other staff are providing help for those in need . He told staff from ACN that “ in this last year we have managed to obtain medicines which until recently it was impossible to find in Syria ”.
Mzeina Hospital works closely with St Peter ’ s Aid Centre in the nearby town of Marmarita helping both those displaced by the war and impoverished locals . The centre is run by the Melkite Church , one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome . Toni Tannous , the head of physiotherapy at the hospital , was himself internally displaced . He said , “ I myself had to flee from Homs because of the war and now I am working here . All of us feel a sense of responsibility in one way or another to help in whatever way we can .” ACN has been helping support the care of many patients at St Peter ’ s .
Elías Jahloum , a volunteer at St Peter ’ s , said , “ From the health centre run by the Melkite Church in Marmarita we attend to over a hundred urgent medical cases a month , in addition to other cases where we pay for medicines . We take the families to the hospital and have a working agreement with the Mzeina Hospital to treat them there ”. He added : “ In the Valley of the Christians there are no public hospitals – the closest
ones are in Homs or Tartus , an hour or more away by car on account of the army security controls . That is why the healthcare service offered by the Church in this region is greatly appreciated by those displaced by the war , who have few financial means .”
One patient , Najwa Arabi , a middle-aged mother who has had surgery on her stomach said to Elias and the ACN project team that visited the hospital with him : “ Thank you for coming to see us , and thanks also to your benefactors . We know that there are people in many countries around the world who are helping us . Every day we pray for them and give thanks to God ”.
Aid to the Church in Need provides move than £ 43,000 ( around € 50,000 ) each month to the St Peter ’ s Aid Centre in Marmarita , covering the cost of essential medicines and the medical care for over 4,000 people in need . Dr Abboud said , “ We continue to need your aid . You are the hope of all these people , and a wonderful example for our society ”.
Aid to the Church in Need - www . acnuk . org contact : acn @ acnuk . org or call 020 8642 8668