Visiting Refugees in Jordan.

Radio Hayah spoke with Elias Kasabre about his trip

عربى

Now Elias you are from Beit Jala, Bethlehem and you were just recently in Jordan what were you doing there ?

We were visiting people, and refugees and we were just asking them about how they are living, how are they and also we spoke a little bit about Jesus and it was a nice time actually, They appreciated that we came from Palestine and we asked about them.

Were these mainly Muslims that you were talking to ?

Actually everyone that we saw are Muslims.

Was it a first time for you to visit the refugees and was it what you expected ?

Yes this was my first time and it was like what I expected and not what I expected, Actually they are humble, like even what happened with them, they still have hope that someday they will come back.

Which countries were the countries from ?

Actually there were refugees from everywhere, Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Yemen but we didn't visit Yemen but there was Yemen.

Are there many refugees in Jordan ?

Jordan is the Arab country with the most refugees, there is a lot, there is a Palestinian camp of refugees that are just Palestinians, actually there are more Palestinian refugees in Jordan than in Palestine.

So did you actually get to visit Palestinian refugees as well?

Yeah we went to Wehdat camp and it was all Palestinians from Gaza, Haifa from Everywhere and actually they were nice people.

They were happy to see you as well ?

Actually  they were very happy yeah.

What difficulties do they face as refugees in another country ?

One of the most difficulties is they can't buy a home and register in their name or even a car just renting so it is hard for them like for the future, like if their sons want to have a life it will be hard to buy a house to buy a car.

Can they work as well ?

Yeah they can work, But as refugees sometimes they give them less than Jordanians so that is maybe one of the difficulties.

Did they get to share their stories with you ?  

Actually not really because it's hard for them also I didn't ask, I was like I didn't want to ask because I didn't want it  to get hard for them.

Were they happy that Christians came to visit them ?

Yes they were very happy, they just want someone to ask about them, how they are so they were happy they appreciated that we came.

They could see that you cared ?

Yeah they could see that we cared yes .

Were you delivering aid to them or were you just visiting ?

Actually most were just visiting because if we ask about them it is more important than to give them anything, there was a family that we gave some toys for the kids, but we didn't give any aid Just visiting them and speaking to them.

Was it important to go on this trip to see them ?

Yes I think it changed something inside  me , for me personally it was very good.

Now you got to play football with the children, are they good footballers ?

They are good footballers, yeah it was a nice time with them.

What is life like for the refugees ?

It is good that they can find a house to rent, and Jobs but it is hard that they can't but a house or a car, they can't register anything in their name so maybe in the future for their boys and daughters maybe it would be hard for them, but they have hope that someday they will come back to their country, which I hope they will .

Now were they living in Camps, you get the idea of a refugee living in a camp, are some of them living in camps and some of them living in rented accommodation, how are they ?

Actually I didn't go to any camps, we went to houses but there is a lot of camps in Jordan for Palestinians and for Syrian, there are a lot of camps for refugees  but we went to houses.

What did you learn while you were over there ?

I learned that even if what anything happens with you, you should always thank God for everything  because there is always someone who has a worse condition than you so always thank God for everything.

Was this a challenge for you visiting, did you feel this was going to be difficult, putting you out of your comfort zone?

I thought it would be difficult but I thank God that I did it, it was very good for my life.

Would you like to go back in the future ?

Yes I would like to go back and also visit the houses that I visited, actually I took some facebook names of the refugees, I have them on facebook, I would love to go back and see them and do more visits.

Do you feel that you made a difference ?

I don't think I made a big difference but actually to ask about them and how are they, that made a difference for them, that they saw that there is someone that cares for them and ask about them.

Why did you personally go ?

I thought it would be good for my life to know how people are living there and to know about the refugees and for my spiritual life if it would be good to make me better in my life.

And what is your prayer for the refugees of Jordan ?

That God be with them, and protect them, and they come back to their countries some day.