SCM has had a busy 12 months helping resettled families from Syria with 23 families welcomed and helped by you, our amazing supporters. In February the devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey took all our efforts for several months, as we continued to welcome more families to Lynnwood, Spokane and Federal Way. Again, our supporters stepped up and we had an amazing response to help the people get shelter and building supplies, medical supplies, solar panels and electrical systems, fans to combat the heat, food, and they were even able celebrate Eid!

Then, on September 9th, another major earthquake hit, this time in the mountainous region south of Marrakesh, devastating outlying villages and damaging historical monuments in Marrakesh. Oh, but mother nature was not done yet! Daniel, a Mediterranean storm, hit the eastern part of Libya, particularly the area around Derna. Due to years of neglect during the civil war there, two dams collapsed and the torrent swept away thousands of people in its path, wrecked buildings and flooded a wide swath of land. SCM is stretched too thin but we continue to try to put people and organizations together that can help Libya. We are helping to find mental health professionals that can help with PTSD, and will be launching a campaign to buy drones that can find land mines – mines from the civil war that had been previously mapped but are now scattered all over the landscape. This will help keep recovery personnel safe as they work on clearing away debris and cleaning up. More details on our Libya efforts coming soon.

Your support means more now than ever. From helping families begin their new lives in the United States to getting essential supplies to survivors of natural disasters, and supporting our free clinic in Saida, Lebanon, we can’t thank you enough. Please donate today to help us continue our mission of providing humanitarian and medical aid to those in need.

Thank you!

LGBTQI people are an extremely vulnerable refugee minority. They face inequality; violence, torture, rape and execution—because of who they are; how they look and who they love.

What other refugee group faces honor killings by their own families?

What other refugee group is harassed, beaten, raped and sometimes murdered by their own fellow inmates and countrymen in a refugee camp?

The trauma refugees experience before, during and after fleeing their home countries is hard to comprehend for those of us who have always lived in relative safety.

In about 70 countries same-sex relations are criminalized. LGBTQI people are imprisoned. Many do not arrest or prosecute the murderers of LGBTQI people…..especially if the murders are carried out by family members protecting the “honor” of the family. They often turn a blind eye to religious extremists and militias who hunt and murder in the name of “God.” In six countries it is punishable by death. Sometimes public executions happen.

I am eternally grateful to SCM Medical Missions and Rita Zawaideh for partnering with me in helping so many! Since 2010 I have learned a lot from Rita and her vast network of international contacts. We have worked closely together in helping many refugees find places to hide when their lives have been threatened as well as getting them survival money, advice, and emotional support while in active migration. We work closely together to help these people through the ups and downs of the many years it takes to resettle them in a more welcoming country. Once resettled, we help and guide them to build happy and successful new lives.

We prioritize helping LGBTQI, Female Gender and Human Rights Activists and their families who are actively being hunted by repressive regimes. We are helping many who are currently in hiding, in active migration or have been resettled. Many would not have survived without the hard and smart work of Rita and SCM. We hope once they are resettled, they will inspire the generation left behind and help the newest arrivals.

During the time I have been working closely with SCM, I have witnessed them getting medical and basic living and survival supplies and professionals to people living through the devastation of war, poverty, and natural disasters in many countries. SCM got medical and living supplies to people living near the front lines during the Syrian civil war and had people working in the refugee camps in Jordan and Greece. They ran an orphanage in a cave. Recently, they opened a medical/ dental clinic in Lebanon. They have been sending supplies to help to victims of the February 2023 Earthquake in Syria and Turkey.
Meanwhile, back in Seattle; SCM has been helping hundreds of refugees mostly from Syria and Afghanistan begin their new lives.

To the refugee community I helped resettle to Seattle… Rita is “Mom.” She has the biggest heart of anyone I know!

Thank you SCM and Rita!

Dr. Michael Failla
Seattle

We want to express our gratitude to all our generous donors who have purchased items through Amazon to assist the recent influx of refugees in Washington state. Over the past few years, we have found that utilizing an Amazon wish list streamlines our efforts at SCM, enabling us to effectively support these new refugees and raise awareness within the community about their pressing needs.

In comparison to past refugee family arrivals in the Seattle area where we could physically transport donated items to them, the current situation in Spokane presents logistical challenges. With nearly 20 families arriving in the past several months, primarily in Spokane, the demand for essential items is substantial. Therefore, we have established Amazon wish lists to alleviate the burden on refugees, who receive a modest amount of welcome funds upon their arrival in the country. By reducing their expenditure on incidental items, we hope they can allocate these resources towards critical matters such as acquiring a vehicle for emergencies and addressing other unforeseen expenses during their initial three-month period of support provided by NGOs like IRC, Jewish Family Services, Lutheran Family Services, World Relief, and others.

We understand that financial circumstances have been difficult for many individuals this year. However, we earnestly appeal for your assistance in helping these refugees integrate and become active members of our community. Your support will also contribute to our ongoing efforts in aiding other incoming refugees. In the event that you come across items on the Amazon wish list that are relatively more expensive compared to alternatives available at Target, Walmart, or other retailers, we encourage you to purchase those items and inform us. We will promptly provide you with an address to directly mail the donations to our clients.

We kindly request you to review the Amazon wish lists we have created, featuring the most recent five or so families who have arrived. Due to challenges in determining American clothing sizes and their location in Spokane, it would be more practical to provide gift cards for stores like Target, Walgreens, Fred Meyer, or others, where they can select the necessary items, which can be sent to our office in Seattle. However, items such as kitchen supplies, bathroom essentials, hygiene products, kids’ bedroom necessities, bed sheets, towels, and pillows would be greatly appreciated delivered to their doorsteps.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation for the unwavering support you have demonstrated towards SCM over the past couple of years. This collaborative endeavor has been a remarkable achievement, and we value your continued involvement. If you or anyone you know is interested in adopting a family in Seattle or Spokane, or if you have connections with regular visitors or residents of Spokane who might be willing to assist a family in need, please reach out to us. By offering support such as English language tutoring, accompanying them to the store, or simply being a reliable point of contact during emergencies involving their children, you can significantly enhance their journey towards stability and self-sufficiency. Every contribution at this stage is immensely meaningful and greatly appreciated.

While SCM remains actively engaged in various projects abroad, which have been our primary focus for years, the impact of the pandemic and restricted travel has necessitated our attention to the refugees in Washington state. We sincerely thank you for your continued support.

To see the lists click here.