Jesus Christ showed special compassion for children (see Mark 10:13-16). In the ministry of Samaritan's Purse, we strive to follow His example. In countries around the world, our projects are providing needy children with food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and education. Most important of all, these boys and girls experience the love of Jesus Christ.

Mevan’s green and gold dress swept the floor as her feet slowly shuffled across the weathered carpet. There was a slight tremor in her legs as she moved, but her aunt, Shilan, gently braced her hands for reassurance.

The 7-year-old doesn’t move quickly, but even this short, deliberate journey seemed like a miracle. Just a year ago, she couldn’t walk at all.

Mevan has been gaining strength since receiving a walker and wheelchair from Samaritan’s Purse.

“Thank you very much for the wheelchair and the walker,” Shilan said. “She is doing very well now.”

Shilan has been taking care of her niece for most of her life. Mevan’s mother abandoned her when she discovered she had cerebral palsy, and her father later remarried and moved out of the home.

Ali, a Kurdish man who works with Samaritan’s Purse, met Mevan and Shilan through a local program that identifies disabled children in the community. He helped deliver the special wheelchair to Mevan.

Since the wheelchair is durable enough to be used on rough roads, Mevan can use it to get to her school in Halabja, a small town in the Kurdish area of Iraq that has been oppressed and neglected for decades.

A tall iron hand of sixteen fingers stands on top of the Halabja Martyrs Memorial in memory of the 5,000 men, women, and children buried nearby. It is a haunting reminder to their families of the persecution they endured on March 16, 1988, when Sadaam Hussein’s army gassed the town.

Out of poisonous ashes, the Kurdish people have been slowly rebuilding their homes and lives for over 20 years. The deadly chemicals that inflicted thousands with illnesses are still affecting families today.

In this small community, there are about 4,500 children like Mevan who can’t leave their homes due to disabilities. It is believed that many of them developed defects while still in the womb because their mothers were exposed to chemical warfare.

In order to fill the gaps in services for children with disabilities, Samaritan’s Purse launched a program to help the children by providing wheelchairs and other care.

“Thank you for helping the people of northern Iraq,” said Khder Kareem, the mayor of the town. “We are grateful for the organization for the children. There are a lot of needs, and there is no special place to care for them.”

Ali not only delivers the wheelchairs, but he also encourages the families with the love of God.

“The wheelchairs are just an accessory,” a Samaritan’s Purse staff member said. “Beyond that, Ali gives them hope, perspective, and comes alongside them with encouragement and prayer.”

When Ali is not visiting the children in their homes, he is driving them to a small school that specializes in teaching them the basic skills needed to integrate them into the normal school system.

The school is the first of its kind in Halabja and is now a model for other programs in the town. About 25 children, ages 1-5, who are deaf, autistic, have Down syndrome, or other learning disabilities come throughout the week.

Because most of the families don’t have cars and can’t afford taxis, they are not able to come often. But since Ali has been providing transport through the support of Samaritan’s Purse, more children have been attending on a regular basis.

“We’re thankful for Ali helping bring the kids and being a part of the teachers’ training program,” the director of the center said.

Samaritan’s Purse is also supporting the school by enabling the children to participate in art projects and citywide sports programs. The activities give the children the opportunity to play and interact with other people when they would otherwise be restricted to their homes.

Although the school is making an impact, Ali’s dream is to establish an even larger center where thousands of children can come to receive help and encouragement.

“I don’t have a center now,” Ali said, “but it is in my heart. I pray for it every day.”