Meet Ahmed
Ahmed Hassan* spends most of the day at his job as an engineer, but he is never too busy to volunteer after his workday is finished. Ahmed lives in Deir Attieh, Syria, where he sees the hardships faced by members of his community. The lingering civil war, economic crisis and the pandemic have all weighed heavily on many Syrians, making your gift of relief more important than ever.
While he most often helps with data entry, Ahmed will also sometimes deliver food. It can be difficult to explain to families why they can’t receive additional items, but the ache in Ahmed’s heart is eased upon seeing the happiness and gratitude on the faces of those he has helped.
One visit in particular has stayed in his mind. Ahmed says, “I can’t describe the feeling when a very elderly man looks straight into your eyes and holds your hand and says, ‘Thank you, sir! God protect you and your family, just as you have protected mine.’”
Your support enables Ahmed and his fellow volunteers to help community members with a variety of needs, including rent assistance and raising funds for surgeries. “It is a great, warm feeling to be able to help your fellow man or woman, even for a little during these hard times,” says Ahmed. “Volunteering helps me overcome feelings of helplessness and idleness and it also gives me positivity and energy to push forward.”
*Name changed for security reasons.
Thank you for partnering with us to deliver food to those who need it most!
Ouzi
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground chicken or beef
- 3 ½ cups water
- A packet of puff pastry or spring roll sheets
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 small onions, diced
- ⅔ cup frozen peas
- ⅔ cup carrots, diced
- ¼ cup each cashews, almonds and pistachios
- 7 tablespoons ghee or butter
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, put 2 tablespoons of butter and sauté the onions until softened. Add the ground meat and cook until it is brown.
- Continue stirring the meat. Add salt, black pepper, peas and carrots.
- Wash the basmati rice 2 to 3 times and soak it in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear.
- In a large saucepan, add the 3 ½ cups of water, 2 tablespoons of butter and a teaspoon of salt and let it boil. Once it is boiling, add the rice and let it cook at a low temperature.
- After 15 minutes, the rice should be ready. Add the cooked meat with the vegetables to it.
- In a separate pan, put 2 tablespoons of butter and add the nuts to it. Sauté the nuts until they turn slightly golden, add to the rice and stir until all the ingredients are well mixed. Let cool.
- Preheat the oven to 360°F.
- To assemble the rice parcel, take a small dessert bowl and brush the inside with butter to prevent the pastry or spring roll sheets from sticking.
- Layer the bowl with 2–3 sheets stacked on top of each other, then fill it with the rice filling.
- Close the ends with a little bit of water, turn it upside down on a parchment brushed with butter onto a baking tray. Do not overcrowd the tray.
- Once all the mounds are assembled, brush the top with melted butter. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Your ouzi should be ready now, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Serves 4-6
Used with permission. Download the UNHCR cookbook for free at www.unhcr.ca/cookbook in English and www.unhcr.ca/cuisine in French.
Learn More
Ahmed volunteers at Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue (FDCD), a non-governmental organization that works in Lebanon and Syria in the areas of peacebuilding and conflict resolution, human rights and emergency response. MCC has partnered with FDCD since 2008. Other current initiatives include an education project and peacebuilding courses.
FDCD knows that volunteering in Syria during such a difficult time can weigh heavily on people, and they work hard to make sure that volunteers’ mental health is cared for. Volunteers are invited to attend psychosocial support workshops where they learn how to avoid burnout when working in a population with a high level of need. The team in Lebanon is in regular communication with the team in Syria to listen and offer support.
Prayer
Creator God,
In this broken world, we look to you for comfort and peace.
Help us to grown in compassion for those who are displaced and in need.
Your love binds us in communities of faith and love.
Help us to be instruments of your love and peace around the world.
Amen.
Prayer written by Annie Loewen, Humanitarian Assistance Coordinator for MCC.Take Action: Listen to a Webinar about Migration
People leave their homes for many reasons. Join Bonnie Klassen, area director for South America, Mexico & Cuba, and Anna Vogt, MCC Canada Peace & Justice Office director, to learn how MCC understands the different faces and forms of migration in Latin America.
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