An Iowa couple who traveled to Jordan last month to help Syrian refugees has returned. Ethan and Bethany Anderson of West Liberty took a trip to Jordan to deliver food, supplies, and donations to Syrians displaced by their country's civil war.
Summary
The Andersons began a fundraising campaign for their trip in early March. By the time they left for Jordan at the beginning of April, the couple raised more than ten thousand dollars. Ethan Anderson says donations are still coming in.
"People were so generous, and even now I have people coming up to me...so we still are [fundraising], whatever comes in now, we will pass on to the church there that's doing the work."
About 78,000 Syrians have fled to Mafraq since the beginning of the war nearly five years ago. Anderson says he met families who had already been living there for years.
"These families, many of them, came across the border with literally nothing but the clothes on their back. They were telling us how they didn't want the Syrian Army to know that they were fleeing for good, so they left without any preparation. They didn't want to be seen as traveling."
Anderson says he's proud of the work he and his wife were able to do to make refugees feel a little more at home.
"We really enjoyed seeing the great work that's happening there. Hopefully, there will be some resolution there eventually, and they [refugees] will be able to return."
More information on the trip and how to donate can be found at http://ethanandbethany.com
