We must become the change we want to see in the world.
— Mahatma Gandhi
Dear friends,
A recent SARF fact-finding mission to Yerevan, Artsakh and Beirut, reminded me of the terrifying and horrific circumstances under which our Syrian-Armenian brothers and sisters are enduring the brutal war in Syria, which has now entered its fifth year.
First-hand conversations with community leaders from Aleppo as well as displaced families who had just recently fled their homes inside Syria, crystalized and reinforced the mission of SARF – to reach out to the suffering communities inside the war-zone and to lend a helping hand to fleeing families who are no longer able to cling to their ancestral homes due to the severity of the situation.
This war has changed people’s lives forever. Those inside Syria try to maneuver the daily challenges of staying alive, fetching for food for their families, sourcing drinking water, studying under the dim light of a candle, caring for an elderly mother or father. Those who have managed to leave, try to recreate a new life. Some wounds heal… some scars never go away!
Believe me, it’s not easy. But there is hope. There is hope because of people like you who believe that a small sacrifice here makes a huge difference for those who are in need. Even the simplest gesture helps send a message to an injured young man, to a mother in grief, that they are not alone.
At SARF, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our supporters and to all those who have so generously donated to this worthy humanitarian cause. May God bless your families with abundant health, joy, and happiness and may we pray that this madness in Syria finds a quick and lasting resolution so that our brethren can find peace and regain normalcy in their lives.
Thank you again from the entire SARF committee! May you and your families have a blessed Thanksgiving!
In common cause.
Raffi H. Kendirjian
SARF Executive Committee Chairman
November 23, 2016
