First off, I apologize for the lack of submissions on the blog. It’s hard to believe that a year has passed by so quickly. In a few short weeks, 2020 will be upon us.
I understand that this is the busiest time of the year for many of us. So, I am thankful that you are taking the time to slow down and read this blog post. With the “Black Fridays”, “Cyber Monday”, and “Giving Tuesday”, I felt the need share my thoughts and some developments.
The one-year anniversary of releasing “Before There Were Borders” will arrive in a couple of weeks. I spent a lot of time reflecting on writing it. I wanted to write a book that awakened the minds of Westerners and transform their perceptions of the Middle East. I wanted to introduce the Assyrians as a modern-day community and open people’s minds. I wanted to share the stories and places my parents told my sister and I as we grew up. I wanted Assyrians to get a sense of how our community is thriving. I wanted to write so many stories and one day maybe a TV series, like the dramatic Turkish ones. Most of all, I wanted to help change the world.
I also had all these lofty dreams of being listed as a New York Times best-selling author. I imagined a million-dollar signing bonus from a publisher. I promised I would donate a portion of my profits to rebuild Iraq, specifically the villages and towns of the Nineveh Plain, who were most heavily impacted by ISIS. I said I would do all these things and I was unable to positively influence the life of a single person back home.
The reason I started writing was to make a difference. Unfortunately, writing a book didn’t make the impact I was hoping it would. The book itself wasn’t going to fix my homeland. This does not mean I gave up. Part two will be put on hold because action needs to be made for my people sooner rather than later.
I had to stop wishing miracles would happen to protect my people back home. I had to hold myself accountable by joining likeminded individuals who had the same goals. I had to attend policy conferences. I had to research and watch media outlets. I had to sacrifice my free time and volunteer. Most importantly – I needed help because I couldn’t do it alone.
Luckily, I was able to make a difference other than writing the book or writing a sequel. I was able to use my creative thinking and writing skills to think of other ways of how I could help the Assyrian people back home. For the last eight months, I combined my proposal and project management experiences with my writing skills to help non-profit organizations obtain grant funding.
The Shlama Foundation is a non-profit organization that I work with the most. They are a registered non-governmental organization based in Iraq who provides humanitarian aid to the minorities of the Nineveh Plains region of Iraq. The majority of the board members live outside of Detroit have full-time jobs with families and spend their free-time serving the organization. Each and every single one of them inspire me to be a better person because they do their work without getting paid a penny. They do their work from their hearts because they are truly passionate about their community.
I get a jolt of energy from every conference call or meeting I attend. The enthusiasm from this group of people is contagious. Being around members of Shlama Foundation make you lose track of time because work doesn’t feel like work. It truly is refreshing to see a group of people so passionate to help secure the lives of people whose only hope lies in them.
The latest project Shlama Foundation is tirelessly working on is for a small village in the Nineveh Plains, called Garmawa. This village is a wholesome replica of how other indigenous communities thrived in Iraq for centuries upon centuries. These villagers tend to the land and raise animals. You’ll see simple people living simple lives and their future is about to be jeopardized.
The problem with Garmawa is that the land owner would like to sell the plots of land that these villagers live and farm on. If the land is sold, the village will be broken apart and the families will have to resettle in other parts of Iraq. This will separate another indigenous community and decrease the presence of Christian minorities.
The goal is to raise $2,000,000 so this village can stay intact. The monetary value didn’t slow down the Shlama Foundation. They will do what they can to make it happen. The Shlama Foundation’s tenacity is truly inspiring. If they are able to raise the money, it will secure the Nineveh Plains territory for our community undergoing extinction.
Whether we realize it or not, we are all collectively responsible of shaping reality. We are under the impression that our efforts are futile. This is far from the truth. The truth is, our thoughts have more power than we believe, for what you believe you conceive. Our negative thought patterns perpetuate problems while positive thoughts reshape the future. Every person’s thoughts can contribute to the collective evolution.
I am a firm believer of change. I know deep in my bones that the Middle East is capable of so much more than oppressive regimes that instill fear and ignite conflict. I see a different future that includes unity, prosperity, and a rich culture.
When I see members of my community undergoing extinction in Iraq, like Garmawa, I step up. I sacrifice free time to help. I volunteer my God-given gifts for noble causes. I donate. I spread the news. I try to think creatively to help secure people’s livelihoods.
Can you imagine if all Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Syriac community members committed themselves as I have? If every single one of us donated one dollar, we would have over $2,000,000. Who knows what else we could accomplish. The possibilities are endless if we work together.
So, if you consider yourself a proud Atoraya, Chaldaya or Suraya, then perhaps it’s time to take things to the next level. Now is the time to fight for our roots. If you want to protect our culture, then please volunteer your time, donate, or pray for us. We need everyone to pull this off together.
2020 is around the corner and I am tired of meaning well. I am sick of dreaming and not seeing my reality change. I am tired of feeling powerless about certain circumstances around me. So, I have changed the way I function. If I want to make a difference, then I do it. There’s no other way.
Please join me and countless others as we try to help a village stay together. I don’t want to watch this village pack their belongings for Christmas. I want their Christmas to spent in celebrations. I want them to rejoice because they will be able to call their village their home.
You can find more information about Garmawa on the provided link. If you have already donated, thank you. If you haven’t, then please consider donating a dollar. Another way of helping is sharing the news with your family and friends.
Together we can make positive changes to help make the world a better place. Positivity is contagious so let’s make it spread just in time for Christ’s arrival and the New Year.