Hello my name is Wafaa Tanious.

I live in Hervey Bay QLD with my family. I had the privilege to be invited to join the Operation Hope – Northern Iraq Project as an Arabic interpreter.

I emigrated from Egypt 26 years ago where I had worked as a Christian youth worker. My experience of being in a religious minority has given me insight and a heart for those who suffer persecution and injustice.

I haven’t had any chance to travel overseas on a humanitarian basis but 2 years ago I hosted an Iranian family of three (parents and 13-year-old girl) who fled their country and came by boat through Christmas Island. During the six month I hosted them I saw the agony and the suffering they have been through.

Through my husband’s career, I was able to collect some medical equipment which will be shipped to Northern Iraq and donated to hospitals. I am thankful to St Stephen’s Private Hospital in Hervey Bay, we were blessed with 3 sterilizers in a very good condition together with some surgical instruments which I collected from our base hospital in Maryborough, thank you to Kristina Dodd.

“This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.” (Isaiah 58:6-7)

My inner conviction comes from the example of Christ Jesus. Though he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, he stepped down and sacrificed everything to show His Love for us. He lived with us, he walked our road, shared our struggles and suffered our pain.
The opportunity to go to the Yazidi people, who have suffered great persecution, is a privilege. To share their pain, to sit with them and eat with them. To be able to, in some small way, offer love, respect, care and hope.