A few years ago my family and I lived in Colorado. I had some friends who were humanitarians in Jordan and wanted to help Iraqi refuges living there. These people have escaped from Iraq and would not go back. Because they are refugees they cannot find work. They also live in camps with tents as their homes. I saw pictures of their lifestyle and was touched by one photo of a little girl. She looked just like someone my oldest daughter would play with. and yet she lived in almost unimaginable poverty. I did not know what I could do. Then 9/11 hit, and the people from Iraq were in great need. I kept thinking of what I could do, so I simply prayed for them.
A few weeks later, as a family, we visited the Humanitarian Center and Welfare Square in Utah. It was there that I learned that our Church sent food, clothing, and medical supplies to people all over the world for humanitarian purposes. I learned they also work through other churches for the same purpose of relieving hardship.
Upon returning home I prayed again to learn what we could do in Colorado to help these people. Then one morning I awoke at 3:00 a.m. and wrote a letter to the appropriate person to get a 40 ton shipment full of needed supplies to families I would never meet. I thought it was a long-shot, but a worthy cause. After many attempts to get a response nothing had happened. After six months my friends received the business licenses they needed to receive humanitarian shipments and filled out the appropriate papers. Again, nothing happened for a long time. I called two missionaries in Jordan to help us with the shipment. Finally, after almost of year, we were informed that a 40 ton shipment of school supplies, medical supplies, hygiene kits and clothing would be sent.
After sharing the news with my dear friends, we prayed and hugged each other. Although I will never meet any of the families, that shipment helped my friends were there. They were able to help people in a war in Iraq with some desperately needed supplies. Years later, my friends have shared how they still see bags sent from our Church for school supplies around the area. In this example, the Unconquerable Spirit is demonstrated through a combined effort of many people. The deep gratitude of those receiving basic supplies touched us all. In Mosiah 2:17 is states “when ye are in service of fellow beings, ye are in service of God.” I found this experience amazing because of how little time all of us really spent getting approved. Although much time passed, there was not a lot of effort. I wonder what kind of difference we could make if we all made a phone call or visited those in need.











