From Gaza to Australia
in God’s Hands
Prior to the October 7 attacks, life in Gaza City—home to more than 750,000 Palestinians—semblance of normalcy and civility. Gaza has been reduced to rubble, leaving behind only debris, shrapnel, and the remains of what was once home to over 2 million Palestinians. Rami, Sana and their two children have become more despondent because of life in Gaza since October 7.
“In our life [in Gaza] before the war, it was like normal people. We were happy; our family was happy. Our kids attended the YMCA club, our son played soccer, and our daughter played basketball. We attended [the Baptist] church and went out to restaurants. Two days before the war we celebrated our wedding anniversary.”
– Rami
Leaving behind their destroyed home in Gaza City, Rami and Sana’s family sought refuge in a church partner supported by Samaritan’s Purse. The church became a shelter providing crisis accommodation, food, hygiene supplies and medicine to more than 600 families. Day and night, the harrowing sound of bullets, missile strikes and shrapnel reverberated throughout Gaza.
Very few countries are granting documentation for people to legally leave Gaza, but Australia was one of the few that offered safe passage for both Muslim and Christian Palestinians to resettle. Rami was able to obtain a visa to enter Australia with his family, and after seven long months, they committed to embark on the treacherous journey south towards the Rafah border into Egypt. They feared that even if they were to survive the journey south, they would then face the Israeli military to approve their plea to leave Gaza.
“The road from Gaza to Rafah border is infamously known as ‘Death Row’. For seven months, it was not easy living in Gaza when there is war, because you can hear constant bombing. You can see everywhere there is bombing. All you see in people is fear. All you see is death”, said Rami.
“[The guard] gave me food, gave me water, and told me ‘God bless you and as you pass the checkpoints you provide my name and number’. … I think that God sent an angel to do that, to serve me, because that was not normal, nothing about it was normal.”
Samaritan’s Purse has committed financial support towards the resettlement in Australia of families like Rami and Sana’s, who have been provided rental assistance, vouchers to purchase food and essentials, and training to search and apply for work.
Members of the local church have also stepped up to help provide Rami’s family with furniture for their home and have even donated a car to help them get back on their feet. Their children have been granted admission into a local Christian school where they are adjusting to a new life in Australia.
Your gift today can save lives. Refugee families like Rami’s are in urgent need of support. Please prayerfully consider choosing one of the gifts below to provide hope to those in need this Christmas.
A gift of $125 will help us relieve the suffering of weary refugees who are trying to start over and build a new life.
Your gift of $50 provides vital physical relief and spiritual comfort to a family recovering from a devastating disaster.
Your $75 gift can feed a family in need for a month so that they might experience the hope we have through Christ
Rami and Sana now face the difficult task of supporting their family in a foreign country without Medicare or Centrelink support. Their provision of rental assistance concludes in December. Their path forward remains unclear, but their hope in Christ and in fellow Christians has not wavered as they take each day as it comes.
Rami said, “We see God work miraculously when He provides safety. We see He is working not only in the good situations, He is working in the bad situations in His timing. He can change the heart; he can change the people.”
To date more than 200 Gazan Christians have been approved for resettlement in Australia. Samaritans Purse remains in the region and is providing assistance to Palestinians in Gaza. Locally, we continue to rally with other Christian partners to meet the needs of Palestinian families who have arrived in Australia.
Will you join us in praying for families affected by conflict in Gaza and for our teams as they face danger to provide hope during times of desperation? Pray as we take on opportunities to support Christian families like Rami and Sana’s in Jesus’ Name as they rebuild their lives in Australia. Thank you for your support.