Caring for Our Brothers and Sisters in Hauran

“A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another….”

Caring for Hauran THE HAURAN CONNECTION A Sister to Sister Diocese Program

between the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America and the Archdiocese of Bosra Hauran, Jabal al Arab and the Golan, Syria

Requested by Bishop BASIL in 2008, as he described the dire need for support of this region.

Caring for Hauran

Caring for Hauran St. Matthew tells of our Savior’s teaching and

healing the people from this region. St. Peter confessed here that our Jesus is

“the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” St. Paul fled here, following his baptism. St. Timon, one of the Seventy Apostles

appointed by the Lord, was sent to preach here.

Caring for HauranThe present

“angel of Bosra, Hauran,

Jabal alArab and the Golan and successor to St. Timon”Metropolitan SABA (Esper).

Caring for Hauran Inflation is

increasing—over 500%!

Many have lost their shops, houses, and lands and have no source of income.

Caring for Hauran Those in the provinces of Sweda and

Daraa are caught between armies of different groups.

There is just one family left in one community.

Others have left for Sweda or Damascus. The other parishes are no better.

Caring for Hauran Sweda is a peaceful

city, but swelling with refugees—Christian and Moslem.

The ecumenical relation office of the Patriarchate is working hard to serve them.

Caring for Hauran They have organized a large kitchen in

the chancery to cook daily meals for 100 families.

Caring for Hauran It has opened three branches of this

office in Sweda and Daraa.

Caring for Hauran They have helped parishioners through

these offices and have gotten some help for them through brothers and friends.

Caring for Hauran Ira is the only

village in the whole Diocese where Metropolitan SABA could visit and celebrate Liturgy in 2013.

Caring for Hauran Metropolitan SABA, on

July 15, 2014: The village of Tisiya

(which name is derived from the word “Baptisery” because it was the center for baptisms in the Ghassanid Kingdom from the 4th through the 7th centuries) was attacked by some fundamentalist groups.

Caring for Hauran Its ancient church was taken over Its crosses, icons and service books were

broken and thrown into the street. An unconfirmed report says it has been

turned into a mosque. Al-Nusra Front now controls the village.

Caring for Hauran This Orthodox Christian village is the last

outpost before the Syrian-Jordanian border. The previous Metropolitan used to refer to

Tisiya as “the fence of Orthodoxy” because of its pious people.

About 10 families remain there now. The majority are in Damascus because their

homes have been stolen and they cannot return.

Caring for Hauran Metropolitan SABA is

most grateful for having such brothers and sisters, especially His Grace, Bishop BASIL and the clergy and people of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America.

Caring for Hauran Our opportunity for obedience to our

Savior, who walked in Hauran: “A new commandment I give to you, that

ye love one another just as I have loved you……

By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.”

(John 14: 34-35)

Caring for Hauran When we pray for our

families, may we remember to pray for our suffering sister Diocese.

When we thank God for our food, let us pray that they will have food for which they can thank Him.

Caring for Our Brothers and Sisters in Hauran

“….…just as I have loved you.”