Gazan Christians Find a New Home in Australia
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, 2023.
Rami said: “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.”
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.
Help Care For Refugee Families
Article supplied with thanks to Samaritan’s Purse.
All images: Supplied
