A presentation regarding charitable efforts in the Antiochian Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran in Syria by Sally Buxton of St. George Cathedral in Wichita, Kansas.

1. Caring for Our Brothers and
Sisters in Hauran
“A new commandment I give to you,
that ye love one another….”

2. Caring for Hauran
 THE HAURAN CONNECTION
 A Sister to Sister Diocese Program between
the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America and
the Archdiocese of Bosra Hauran, Jabal al
Arab and the Golan, Syria
 Requested by Bishop BASIL in 2008, as he
described the dire need for support of this
region.

3. Caring for Hauran

4. Caring for Hauran
 St. Matthew tells of our Savior’s teaching and
healing the people from this region.
 St. Peter confessed here that our Jesus is “the
Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
 St. Paul fled here, following his baptism.
 St. Timon, one of the Seventy Apostles
appointed by the Lord, was sent to preach
here.

5. Caring for Hauran
The present
“angel of Bosra,
Hauran, Jabal
alArab and the
Golan and
successor to St.
Timon”
Metropolitan
SABA (Esper).

6. Caring for Hauran
 Inflation is
increasing—over
500%!
 Many have lost
their shops,
houses, and lands
and have no
source of income.

7. Caring for Hauran
 Those in the provinces of Sweda and Daraa are
caught between armies of different groups.
 There is just one family left in one community.
 Others have left for Sweda or Damascus.
 The other parishes are no better.

8. Caring for Hauran
 Sweda is a peaceful city,
but swelling with
refugees—Christian and
Moslem.
 The ecumenical relation
office of the Patriarchate is
working hard
to serve them.

9. Caring for Hauran
 They have organized a large kitchen in the
chancery to cook daily meals for 100 families.

10. Caring for Hauran
 It has opened three branches of this office in
Sweda and Daraa.

11. Caring for Hauran
 They have helped parishioners through these
offices and have gotten some help for them
through brothers and friends.

12. Caring for Hauran
 Ira is the only village
in the whole Diocese
where Metropolitan
SABA could visit and
celebrate Liturgy in
2013.

13. Caring for Hauran
 Metropolitan SABA, on
July 15, 2014:
 The village of Tisiya (which
name is derived from the
word “Baptisery” because it
was the center for baptisms
in the Ghassanid Kingdom
from the 4th through the 7th
centuries) was attacked by
some fundamentalist groups.

14. Caring for Hauran
 Its ancient church was taken over
 Its crosses, icons and service books were
broken and thrown into the street.
 An unconfirmed report says it has been turned
into a mosque.
 Al-Nusra Front now controls the village.

15. Caring for Hauran
 This Orthodox Christian village is the last
outpost before the Syrian-Jordanian border.
 The previous Metropolitan used to refer to
Tisiya as “the fence of Orthodoxy” because of
its pious people.
 About 10 families remain there now.
 The majority are in Damascus because their
homes have been stolen and they cannot
return.

16. Caring for Hauran
 Metropolitan SABA is
most grateful for
having such brothers
and sisters, especially
His Grace, Bishop
BASIL and the clergy
and people of the
Diocese of Wichita
and Mid-America.

17. Caring for Hauran
 Our opportunity for obedience to our Savior,
who walked in Hauran:
 “A new commandment I give to you, that ye
love one another just as I have loved you……
 By this shall all men know that you are my
disciples, if you have love one to another.”
(John 14: 34-35)

18. Caring for Hauran
 When we pray for our
families, may we
remember to pray for our
suffering sister Diocese.
 When we thank God for
our food, let us pray that
they will have food for
which they can thank
Him.

19. Caring for Our Brothers and
Sisters in Hauran
“….…just as I have loved you.”