Caring for the sick and elderly in Aleppo
The civil war in Syria has been going on for over ten years. Many people have suffered. The war has been particularly difficult on the old and sick, who have been unable to leave.
By ACN Staff
Moufida Jallouf and Mousa Ogzan. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
Syria has been at war for over ten years. These years of war have brought great suffering to the Syrian people. Father Hugo Alaniz is a missionary priest of the Institute of the Word Incarnate from Argentina. Father Hugo has been a priest for 25 years and arrived in Syria in 2017. After arriving in Syria, he travelled from Damascus to Aleppo where he has served his mission.
A church in Aleppo. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
Speaking with ACN, Father Hugo describes the dangerous conditions that he ministered to the faithful in:
“Until a year and a half ago many of the areas around Aleppo were still full of terrorists, and we witnessed clashes very close to us. We saw some very sad and shocking things in the hospitals, with many people wounded by bullets or shrapnel from terrorist attacks launched from outside the city.”
The fighting in Aleppo is now mostly over. However, the economic situation in Syria is dire following the war. Over 90% of the Syrian people live under the poverty line. Father Hugo tells us the difficult circumstances the local people live in:
“I estimate that a family of four or five people would need around 350/400 USD a month to live on, yet salaries are usually around 25 USD. In other words, they are not living, but simply subsisting. It is very difficult for them.”
Basic necessities are too expensive for many, and goods from abroad, such as some medicines, are unavailable due to the international sanctions against Syria. Father Hugo came to Aleppo to respond to an appeal made by the Latin Catholic Bishop George Abou-Khazen. Once he arrived in Aleppo, Father Hugo was put in charge of the Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation in the east of the city.
Fr Hugo and Moufida. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
The vast majority of the local parish had left Aleppo. Slowly some have begun to return. The war has been particularly hard on the sick and elderly. Families with boys left the country, due to fear of their sons being conscripted when they came of age. Even now with the war mostly over, conscription is still in force.
Often the sick, elderly and disabled were unable to travel with their wider family and were left behind. This has presented practical challenges, but above all else, these people suffer from loneliness. The priests of the Incarnate Word, such as Father Hugo, take special care of the elderly, sick and disabled. Father Hugo tells us more about the ministry to the sick and elderly:
“They are very much alone. We visit them and see what they need. We start by providing medication, and also incontinence pants for the sick and elderly.
We also have a community kitchen, where a group of volunteers cook three days a week, in order to provide these people with food in their homes. On the other three days they cook for the other people living or working in the surrounding area.”
Moufida Jallouf and her husband Mousa are amongst those that Father Hugo visits. The couple are not originally from Aleppo but were able to travel there through a humanitarian corridor during the war. Mousa is seriously ill and is not able to walk. The village the couple lived in was taken over by Islamists during the fighting. Moufida describes what it was like living under the Islamists’ rule:
“They took away our livelihood, our money and our homes. They wouldn’t let us ring the church bell either, but we continued praying and making the sign of the cross privately inside our homes.”
Moufida helping her husband Mousa. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
Although the couple is not living in as much danger now that they are in Aleppo, life is still hard as Moufida explains:
“We can’t afford even the basic necessities of life now, so thank God the Church is helping us. We want to thank ACN International for supporting the parish of Our Lady of the Annunciation, so that we can also survive.”
Father Hugo believes very strongly that it is the duty and responsibility of the Universal Church to offer help to Middle Eastern Christians in places like Syria during their time of need. It was from this part of the world that Christianity began.
Father Hugo made this appeal on behalf of the sick and elderly in Aleppo:
“Thanks to your help we can continue to play our small part in supporting the Christian community here in Aleppo, in Syria, in the Middle East. It is an immensely precious help. Whatever you can continue contributing will have great significance, especially for these people, who have lost everything, who continue to be in great need, who need your help.”
ACN is sponsoring a project to help give food to the most in need in Aleppo, especially the sick and elderly. If you would like to help ACN in this and similar projects, please consider making a donation.