Greetings from Kurdistan, Iraq.
I wanted to send you a quick update thanking you for your support as Tutaponaexpands into Iraq to provide trauma counseling to victims of this brutal war in the Middle East with ISIS.
The past two weeks have been a combination of jet lag, loneliness, exhaustion, culture shock, and utter excitement at being here and engaging in the work. I have been busy trying to get everything ready for my family to join me. I think I have a house locked in, next is the need to buy a vehicle. I have been getting familiar with the area and trying to learn as much as I can about the culture. I think I will be pretty prepared for them to arrive on September 29th.
Our partner, Samaritan’s Purse, has been extremely welcoming and helpful with logistical support. I have been to two different refugee camps on a few occasions to see their work and assess the level of trauma and I've been overwhelmed at the severity of the needs. It has been confirmed over and over again just how important it is that Tutapona is here. I am so excited to get started!
Thank you again for joining Tutapona on this journey of emotional healing for the refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Kurdistan. We'll send you a full family update with more photos once everyone arrives and we've got a few things underway with the work!
In gratitude,
Carl Gaede
Founder and Director of Tutapona
