On February 10, Razan Abu-Salha, her sister Yusor Abu-Salha and Yusor's husband Deah Barakat were shot and killed in their home in Chapel Hill. Deah and Yusor were both preparing to be dentists and felt called to help Syrian refugees in need of dental care.
Chapel Hill Poet Will McInerney and Mike Mallah are traveling in the Middle East this month documenting the work of the Syrian American Medical Society. He sent us this postcard. It's part of a project called Stories with a Heartbeat.
Just before he died, Deah had an online fundraiser campaign underway. He had hoped to raise $20,000 to fund a volunteer trip here this summer—the campaign has since raised more than $500,000 and is funding this new clinic at the Al Salam School.
The clinic sees as many as 30 patients a day—all Syrian refugees. The people who work there told McInerney that dental care is often over-looked in refugee settlements. They depend on contributions from overseas. Last summer, Yusor Abu-Salha volunteered at a similar clinic in Kilis, Turkey. She brought with her donated toothbrushes and supplies. The dentists there are still giving them to children—asking the kids to say a prayer for the person who donated the toothbrush.
