Help Mustafa's Family Build Their Home

The  above photo on the left is of Mustafa in 2017 in a refugee camp outside of Fallujah. The photo on the right is the family's current home in a village near Fallujah, Iraq.

 

Please help us complete the building of a new home for this family! It is a dream for them and it is essential for Mustafa's health!!

 

We are a group of friends in Oregon who have gotten to know Mustafa Abed over many years. Mustafa, at the age of 2 years, was in his mother's arms in their hometown of Fallujah, Iraq, when he was severely injured by mortar from a US missile. He barely survived the injuries--suffering for over 2 years while his parents sought care for him in war-torn Iraq. Mustafa had much of his lower body severed--including the loss of a leg and severe damage to his kidneys and intestines. 

In 2008, we learned about Mustafa's story and brought him to Portland, OR with his father. Here he received life-saving surgery, and we hoped his life would be better. He and his father returned to their family in Iraq.

Due to the ongoing war in Iraq and conditions there, we lost contact with Mustafa's family. Then, in July 2017, we quite miraculously  "found" him through a PBS NewsHour Story called Finding Mustafa . By contacting the PBS reporter we were able to reconnect with the family. We learned that Mustafa had been critically ill on a number of occasions. We learned of the dire poverty, food shortage and many hardships the family continued to undergo. 

Through the generosity of many people, we were able to arrange for Mustafa, this time with his mom, to return to Oregon, where he again had major surgery and time to recuperate. All the time they were here, we heard of how hard their life is in their impoverished village. Their home was partially destroyed in bombings. They have no sewer, no glass in the windows, only a hose bib for water, no bathroom and no kitchen. Mustafa's mother showed a photo of a snake that climbed into the house through one of the window openings. 

It is hard to imagine any family living in such conditions. But for Mustafa, with recurring kidney infections and serious bowel problems, the lack of basic conveniences such as running water,  plumbing and sewage disposal has a profound impact on his health.

Over the past few years, we have worked with the family and a contractor they have been able to hire. A new house is possible and it is in fact being built.

We are asking for all of us to reach down into our pockets to help in the final phase of a new home for Mustafa and his family--one with the basics of running water, a sink, toilet, stove and refrigerator.
These are things they do not now have.

It will make a world of difference to Mustafa's health and it is one way we can help heal the wounds of war.

THANK YOU!!!    (This below photo is Mustafa feeling stronger and better after several surgeries here in Oregon).