The International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, observed each year on February 8, and the World Day of the Sick, observed each year on February 11, together, they remind us that illness and exploitation often walk hand in hand, and that compassion must respond to the whole person.
These observances resonate very much with our team at CNEWA. As we mark 100 years of service, our story has been inseparable from the story of the most vulnerable, to whom CNEWA continuously provided care: those who endure illness, trauma, displacement, and exploitation amid war, poverty, and uncertainty.
Illness has a way of stripping life down to its essentials. So, too, does human trafficking, which wounds affected persons in their freedom, dignity, and sense of self. In moments of profound vulnerability, people need more than medicine alone. They need dignity, protection, reassurance, and hope. For a century, CNEWA has walked alongside communities where health care and basic human protection are fragile or disrupted, responding through trusted local partners who remain present even in the hardest circumstances.
This commitment reflects a simple but powerful belief: every person who suffers is worthy of care and dignity, regardless of their challenging circumstances.
In regions affected by conflict and instability, sickness is often compounded by trauma, displacement, and heightened risks of exploitation:
- In Ukraine, years of conflict have placed enormous strain on hospitals and clinics, while increasing vulnerability among displaced populations. CNEWA Canada supports medical assistance, rehabilitation, and psychological care for those recovering from injury and trauma.
- In Gaza, where access to medical supplies and treatment is severely restricted, our partners work under extraordinary conditions to deliver lifesaving care to the sick and wounded
- Across the Middle East, from Lebanon to Syria and beyond, CNEWA Canada supports clinics, hospitals, and community health programs serving refugees and vulnerable families, many of whom face ongoing risks of exploitation alongside illness and poverty.
In each of these regions, care for the sick and protection of human dignity are powerful acts of courage and hope.
In his message for World day of The Sick 2026, Pope Leo XIV recalls the story of the Good Samaritan:
“Saint Luke continues, noting that the Samaritan “was moved with pity.” Compassion, in this sense, implies a profound emotion that compels us to act. It is a feeling that springs from within and leads to a committed response to another’s suffering. In this parable, compassion is the defining characteristic of active love; it is neither theoretical nor merely sentimental, but manifests itself through concrete gestures.”
Pope Leo XIV
As we reflect on 100 years of service, the World Day of the Sick and the International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking remind us that our mission is both longstanding and still unfolding. While the forms of suffering evolve, the heart of our response remains the same: to accompany those who suffer and to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to them.
This work is made possible by the generosity of Canadians who believe that compassion knows no borders. Through your support, clinics remain open, medicines reach those in need, and care and protection are extended to people who might otherwise be forgotten.
After 100 years, CNEWA’s commitment endures: to serve the sick, accompany the vulnerable, defend human dignity, and bear witness to hope where it is needed most.
Today, we hold in prayer all who are ill, all who have been exploited or trafficked, those who care for them, and the communities that surround them.
We give thanks for the resilience of those who suffer and for the countless acts of kindness, seen and unseen, that bring healing to a wounded world.