It's a way to get the broader perspective on the Syrian crisis — from someone who's actually been there.
Dr. Osama Ebesh of Chilliwack is set to make a presentation on Feb. 16 at the Sardis library.
He's made the trek to Jordan twice, treating refugees in and outside of the makeshift refugee camps, while participating in medical missions of mercy.
"Most people in Canada can't even imagine what is going on. They never experienced anything like this, with the autocracy and dictatorship in Syria," said Dr. Ebesh.
He'll attempt to paint a picture of the humanitarian tragedy, In broad brush strokes, with with the help of some choice statistics and photographs. He'll describe the terrible toll it can take on a people when a controlling dictatorship takes hold.
Ebesh is a local physician, a pediatrician, who's lived in Chilliwack for 11 years. He also been lending his medical expertise to refugees for humanitarian purposes.
Most recently Ebesh travelled to a remote refugee camp in Jordan, about 10 km from the Syrian border. The Arabic-speaking doctor spent six days in January of this year, providing medical care inside the camps, and another four days of pop-up clinics for those outside the camps.
He said few Canadians may be aware that most of those caught up in the crisis are struggling to live outside of refugee camps, without support of the United Nations.
"In the camps, it was people living in tents, but more recently it's become a caravan town, with shipping containers being used.
"So the situation in the camps have improved. They have electricity and regular water supplies so it's much better than it was," he said.
A presentation and slide show by Dr. Osama Ebesh at the Sardis FVRL library adjacent Twin Rinks, on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.