Jordan
“This is for me?” One of the ladies asked, looking at the beautiful hand-held mirror she just decorated. Her question is perhaps not surprising. For these village women, much of life is spent meeting the needs of others – cooking, cleaning, serving guests, sometimes working outside the home to support the family income, helping their children study, and caring for the specific needs of their child with a disability. Opportunities to lay aside their responsibilities and just come together as women are rare.
This is one of the reasons why Operation Mercy staff and local staff decided to invite the mothers of the children to the centre on a hot Saturday morning in May to do handicrafts together. At the beginning, when the mothers started to arrive, conversation was quiet. Not all of the mothers had met each other before. After a brief opening welcome from one of the volunteers, the first activity began. Holding a ball of yarn, the first woman said her name and then threw the ball to someone else—still holding onto the thread of yarn. At the end of the activity, the yarn stretched between all of the ladies in a crisscrossing pattern.
“What does this look like?” One of the Operation Mercy staff asked.
“A web,” the ladies answered. “A net.”
“What does this remind you of?”
Their responses were a little bit more varied.
“We are all connected.”
“We help one another.”
From there, everyone moved to a back room which was set up for the main activity. Step by step the ladies were led through the process of decoupage – decorating small mirror frames with colorful tissue. The room quickly transformed into a chaos of cutting, gluing, pasting, conversations, smiles, and laughter. At the end each woman proudly held onto her creation.
As women started to leave to return home, the remaining women conversed quietly. One mother began to share with another about the recent loss of her son who had a disability. As the other mother listened with compassion, she expressed how few people understand how precious their children with disabilities are. It was a brief conversation, but in that moment, suddenly they were connected by their shared love and understanding for their children. It was as if they were seeing their own experiences—the joys and sorrows—mirrored in another.
Visits to Farms
Our Agricultural Cooperation for Development (AC4D) project in Jordan is working within communities to support farmers with immediately adoptable and cost-effective technologies to aid in to management of the most pressing issues in smallholder agriculture in the Middle East.
“Will we finally move now?”
“Will we finally move now?” The smile on Rania’s face was unmistakable. A combination of elation, joy, and anticipation was reflected in her expression as she entered the room and,
Community Health Advocates’ Training
Izzy was one of seven young women who completed our 6 month CHA pilot program. We selected women who had few opportunities in life. Some hadn’t finished school.
Shoulder to Shoulder
“Before,” shares Hamza, “my relationships were limited. Now, in the project, my relationships grow and grow.”
Innovation and creativity are key!
Innovation and creative marketing are a key (and necessary) component of young farmers in Jordan
Change Impacts Relationships and Community
This man speaks of the dynamic relational and inner life that develops when participants move through Keystone’s 3-to-6-month training.
From Desert Diesel Tank to Fertile Market Garden
10 years into the Syrian conflict, people remain resilient for their children’s sake, and they still hope to go home even if they can’t imagine how that will work out.
Heart Surgery Saves Grandfather
In our Operation Mercy Community Health clinics in Jordan, we screen patients who need diagnostic tests and specialist follow up.
An Exercise Programme For Women
At the end of 2024, we ran a six week exercise program for Jordanian and Syrian women in Zarqa. The women who attended hadn’t had any connection with Operation Mercy in the past.
Refugee Health Response
In our Community Health Project in Jordan, we are seeing lives transformed through health screening and education. We work in partnership with local organizations, medical professionals,
Trading Shame for Acceptance
So these women continue on, persevering on behalf of the children and their community, sharing a love and passion that grows warmer with time and over many more cups of hot tea.
A Flower and a Dinar
Ahmed holds dear the opportunity he has to illustrate to the participants their worth in the eyes of their Creator.
New Horizons
The view of the horizon from the CBR window is changing. As new life sprouts up and lurches forward around the CBR Center and throughout the villages,
Surgery For Sarah
The kidney surgery was life saving for Sarah! She is now an active and smiley 1 year old, adored by her older siblings.
Incorporating Technology with Traditional Farming Practices
A new generation of younger farmers, having access to the internet, are considering how to incorporate technology with traditional farming practices.
Nutritional Diversity: From Farm to Table
There must be zucchini, eggplant, cauliflower, corn, cabbage, and peppers.
Each Child is Valuable
“I’ve learnt from you that each child is created by God and valuable, and I want to do my best to love and raise her like you would” she said
An Event for Mothers
“This is for me?” One of the ladies asked, looking at the beautiful hand-held mirror she just decorated. Her question is perhaps not surprising. For these village women,
Saiid’s Smile
Saiid was beaming, a grin splitting his face from ear to ear. Not only was his house finished to the point that he and his family could start living in it,
A Savings Group Success Story
My name is Ghada, and I am a member of the Artery of Hope Savings Group.
Today, I would like to share a success story—an idea that started with the savings group and grew into a project to cultivate more than 60 dunams of land.