An Evening in the Courtyard

HEAR OF ONE WOMAN’S BATTLES LIVING IN BAGHDAD

WEST PALM BEACH, FL— Partners International Women invites you to meet Rena, a young woman from Iraq, who will be sharing about her life in Iraq and how it is for women and children in that country today.

The evening will pass quickly as you listen to Rena tell about her work in Baghdad that led to two kidnapping attempts on her life. Her boss assigned armed bodyguards to protect her, and after kidnapping her brother, eventually she had to manage work from her home. Until there was a fatwa (decree) been issued by extremist Muslims demanding her death, she knew it was getting serious. “When I first saw this letter, I didn’t know how to react,” Rena said. “It seemed silly, stupid, I mean we were in 2005!” She and her family decided it was time she left Iraq.

Rena managed to flee to Amman, Jordan, where she eventually worked for an evangelical ministry and with Partners International. After three months from her arrival to Jordan, her residency permit was not renewed and she was no longer legal in Jordan. Rena knew she could not stay in Jordan, nor could she return to Iraq so she applied to the United Nations for their protection.

Earlier this year, Rena’s plane landed in Newark and she set foot on U.S. soil as an Iraqi refugee. “I had to go to New York and meet her, the lady of liberty, I had my name registered as an immigrant at that island where the Statue of Liberty is,” she said, “like many, many others before me. I planted a root for my family.” That was the start of a new life for Rena. She will tell about her experiences since coming to the U.S. as well as how it was back in Iraq.

Set aside Thursday, November 20, 7-9 p.m. to attend “An Evening in the Courtyard.” Light refreshments will be served at this free event held in the courtyard of the Community Foundation Building, 700 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL. Please RSVP by November 15 by calling 833-2300 or emailing jessicak@partnersintl.org.

For information, or to schedule an interview with Rena or Kim Kerr, Director of Partners International Women, please contact Jessica King at (561) 833-2300 or email her at jessicak@partnersintl.org.

Partners International is a global ministry that works to create and grow communities of Christian witness in partnership with God’s people in the least Christian regions of the world.

Partners International Women
700 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 107E
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 833-2300
www.partnersintl.org/women

This release was published on openPR.