Baghdad, Iraq, Dec 7, 2009 / 17:19 pm
Chaldean Catholic religious sisters will distribute Christmas food parcels to impoverished people in the northern Iraq town of Zakho near the Syrian/Turkish border, the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) says.
The sisters will use a van packed full of cheese, tinned meat, powdered milk, cooking oil, salt, sugar, soap and other urgent items as part of their outreach in and around Zakho, ACN exlpains.
Immense hardship and poverty have been reported in the Kurdish north of Iraq.
ACN provided about $37,000 for the Christmas mercy mission as part of its own effort to support persecuted and suffering Christians. It is the third aid package of its kind since the initiative began last Christmas. It is expected to benefit thousands of people, especially the elderly, the disabled and others with special needs.