On Oct. 7, 2023, the world was shaken by news of the deadly attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. Crisis ensued in the months that followed: Israel declared war on Hamas, a military operation was launched in the Gaza Strip and families evacuated their homes in search of safety. By October 2024, the number of displaced people in the region had reached nearly 2 million, according to UN estimates.
Among them were Aisha and Salma Al Abdallah*, two elderly sisters from Gaza who lost everything they knew. Forced to flee their home because of the escalating conflict, they found refuge across the border in Egypt. There, the sisters were able to find a small apartment, but little else — no furniture, no rugs, no beds or blankets. Just a kitchen and two empty rooms.
For three months, Aisha and Salma lived with this emptiness. During this time, no one came to visit, there were no shared cups of tea and no one checked in on them. All they had was each other and their empty apartment.
Unsure of who to turn to for help, the sisters felt isolated, lonely, afraid and forgotten. But God had not forgotten them.
Showing God’s Presence
Members of Kasr El Dobara Evangelical Church in Cairo, Egypt, heard about the women and their desperate circumstances. Moved, the church stepped in to help. With financial support from World Relief donors like you, they quickly supplied the sisters with furniture, including a bed, a comfortable mattress and blankets to keep them warm.
Most important of all, they shared their company with the sisters. After months of isolation, Aisha and Salma were moved to tears by the church’s act of welcoming care. In it, they caught a glimpse of God’s love for them.
“Definitely, God has not forgotten us, and he is not a cruel master,” they said. “That’s why he sent you to us — to show us his presence even in our hardships.”
Seeing the Unseen
At World Relief, we partner with the local church to see the unseen and show them that they are loved and cherished by God. Thanks to God’s grace and the generosity of donors like you, we have been able to financially support ministries across the Middle East, including Kasr El Dobara Evangelical Church, as communities faced the disruption and devastation of war.
Through our partner ministries, we provided aid to 62,542 people in the Middle East in FY24, offering food, clothing and essential household items. But beyond material aid, we offered something equally powerful: the assurance that those caught in conflict are seen, loved and never alone.
As global crises displace millions, the church continues to be a beacon of hope. In the U.S. and around the world, we stand alongside local churches to care for those on the move — because no one should feel forgotten. Thank you for being part of this urgent and sacred work.
*Pseudonyms have been used to protect individual identities.