nearly 6,000 families in Syria and more than 140 families inside Iraq. Support includes food distribution and health care, as well as vocational training and education for 300 Syrian refugee children. Special workshops are also held for women. “Again and again, we are witnessing God’s hand at work both within our partner churches in Lebanon and in Syria, and through them,” Abboud said. All this work comes from deep theological sensitivity. “Jesus was concerned about the poor, the disadvantaged, the downtrodden and the marginalized,” she wrote in an article for BMS World Mission. “Christians do not condone injustices! Yet we can pursue means and ways of addressing the consequences of unjust situations, like the church in Lebanon and Syria is doing today in their response to the needs of Syrian families negatively affected by the raging war in their country.” Abboud’s portfolio includes more than refugees and other

displaced persons. She works closely with the Arab Baptist Theological School, a ministry of LSESD that provides theological education and ministerial training for men and women to become church leaders in the Arab world in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia in North Africa; and Iraq, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon in the Middle East. A proud development with which she has been closely

associated is LSESD’s SKILD Center for Smart Kids with Individual Learning Difficulties, “a nonprofit organization and center specialized in helping children with special needs and learning differences reach their full potential.” It offers professional assessment and evaluation as well as a range of intervention services including speech therapy, special education, psychomotor therapy and counseling. While taking spiritual formation seriously, Abboud recognized the value of equipping herself academically and professionally. She has an MBA degree from Eastern University in Pennsylvania in the United States, a Master’s Degree in Sociology from the Lebanese University and is in the process of pursuing a doctoral degree at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland.

“Christians do not condone injustices!” — Alia Abboud

MAMA G:

Mother for Everyone By Trisha Miller Manarin

“M

ama G” is the new name of a beautiful South Sudanese woman living in Uganda. Valia, now known as “Mama G,” left her home country in

2006 to escape danger and, perhaps, even death. Both her father and husband encouraged her to flee their home and start anew. Uganda is an open country to refugees. She traveled with her five children via plane from Khartoum to Juba and then by bus, landing in Kampala. Eventually her nephews and those of her husband joined her, totaling 17 children in her home. Early on, Mama G spent most of her time sitting at home with nothing to do. She could not speak English, but only Arabic and her home language. Still, she held tight to the belief that “God is very good – our God is not a poor God! God provides through our prayers. We have hope in God.” In 2009, while attending

the South Sudanese church’s

Bible study in Kampala, she met Shelah and Jade Acker, founding directors of Refuge and Hope International, a ministry “empowering

refugees with educational, professional and

personal development opportunities so they can thrive in Uganda and beyond!” The Ackers were planning to open the Centre of Hope in a few weeks. Mama G was the first student to register! She brought other refugee students from all over East Africa. Mama G said she recruited other groups as well to take classes in English, crafts and cooking. Since 2009, the Centre of Hope has grown exponentially.

Mama G has been a central figure at the school. She now speaks English quite well and is able to share with other students in English, Arabic and her heart language. In 2011, she was given a scholarship to attend sewing training, which led to her becoming the first sewing instructor at the center in 2012. From a refugee without a sense of purpose, she became a paid employee, giving back to other refugees. She now oversees the sewing program classes and teaches advanced sewing skills to refugee women. The sewing program expanded and grew, now comprising three additional teachers and a manager. More impressive than her teaching or English skills is her love

for everyone! Her kids at home said, “Mama, are you mama for every child?” Mama G replied, “Yes! I am mama for everyone!” From this conversation, her name was changed to “Mama G” – “G” for general, because this mama is for all.

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