I’m Barb from Toowoomba and I am joining the Operation Hope – Northern Iraq team in October to help in the Bajed Kandala camp.

In 2014 I did a short disaster training course in Nashville, Tennessee and this led to opportunities to go on two short trips to Kurdistan to work with the Yezidis after the 74th genocide on 3rd August 2014.

On the second trip I worked in a Safe House in Erbil with Yezidi girls rescued from ISIS. Because of these trips I came to love these precious persecuted people and have been trying to get back to Kurdistan ever since but for different reasons haven’t been able to, so I am very grateful to be able to go on this trip.

In the meantime the Australian Government has welcomed many Yezidis into Australia including about 500 in Toowoomba where I live and by the end of the year there will be about 700 here. I have been so thrilled to have these precious ones right here in my home town.

Amazingly there are six girls whom I knew from the Safe House living right here and more are coming! It has been such a joy to befriend these dear people and also have an opportunity to go back to Kurdistan to help in the camp even if only for a short period.