This Sunday morning, as the morning light breaks over the city of Mosul, Iraq, the church bells are silent. This is the first time in 1800 years that church services will not be held in the city. The religious cleansing of the city done by ISIS this month has ensured the city is empty of Christians. So this is what they wanted and this is what they have… Even Mohammed in 660 A.D. did no such thing…

THE TASK AT HAND

In talking with a pastor friend in Kirkuk, he shared that the first thing that we need to do is to show the Love of Jesus Christ. They are sharing the value of faith in Christ, trusting in Him for complete forgiveness. With 35,000 Christians fleeing, for many who truly know Christ, it gives the opportunity to share that Christ is not simply followed because of culture, but He is “the ever-present help in the time of need.”

I was listening to one Iraqi Church leader from Mosul say, “Christ must be sleeping in the back of the boat. We are asking Him, ‘Master, don’t you care?’ We must wake him up!!! We need help!!!” Would you please join me in helping be the hands of Christ?

We as a ministry have set a goal of raising $35,000 to be able to assist these people. But who are we helping? Many are cultural Christians in need of a personal relationship with Christ, many know Christ and have walked with Him for decades… Many are Muslims who also are fleeing for their lives… These people need a tangible touch from the Lord. One fleeing Mosul is the brother of the pastor I stayed with for 21 days in Baghdad in January of 2004.

During those days, I had the privilege of attending the beginning of one of the first evangelical churches to be planted after the 2003 war in Baghdad, and to stand with 700 Evangelical Believers from Iraq asking the Lord to heal their land and their people. I was a guest in the home of the pastor in Kirkuk. As I spoke with him yesterday, his statement was, “Brother, we need help! Can you help us? We need food and to rent housing for people living in the church.” As the people fled Mosul, there was a checkpoint that ISIS had set up. They took every piece of jewelry including wedding rings and anything else of value. These people have nothing…

As you know, thousands fled to Kirkuk, but even there, the danger of ISIS looms… But the pastor I spoke with said, “It is our privilege to serve the Lord here.” This man’s life, the life of his wife and two daughters are forfeit if ISIS takes Kirkuk.

We see Kirkuk as the first line of meeting needs, and if needed, we will fall back into Kurdistan’s Erbil. This is a place in 2006 I had the privilege of helping lead a conference for the Believers from the Church in Baghdad. Frances, (not his real name) is a friend of mine who loves the Lord. He and his wife met at this conference. They settled in Erbil and will be helping us along with two evangelical churches there.

Would you help us respond to this crisis? To date just over $4,000 has come in; I am asking the Lord for the remainder… Can you help us help them?

Our hearts have been broken as we have seen the recent events taking place in Iraq.

With the fall of Mosul and Tikkrit by the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), the over 35,000 Christians who have lived in this area for 1800 years were given an ultimatum:

All Christians must 1.) Convert to Islam, 2.) Pay the ‘jizya’ tax that renders them ‘dhimmis’ – i.e., second-class citizens granted limited protection if they hand over half an ounce of pure gold, 3.) Death by the sword. or 4.) Leave with the confiscation of all they own. They had until noon, Saturday, July 19th to decide. 35,000 Christians chose to leave with just the clothes on their back, most on foot (see pic above).

Those who were able to escape had their homes, cars, clothing, businesses and finances all confiscated or abandoned. They need food, clothing and shelter. We are working to provide these necessities to those who are now refugees in Kirkuk and Erbil.

We are working with my friend and our ministry contact, Francis, in Erbil. The questions we have asked in regard to aid are as follows: 1.) What are the needs of the evacuees? 2.) How do we get the resources of food needed? 3.) Are there Christian food merchants that we can source the food through? 4.) Is there need for water? 5.) Is there need for clothing? 6.) Is there need for shelter? 7.) What assets do we have on the ground? 8.) Can the churches assist with the distribution?

Francis’ response was simple: “We have all that you need. The resources are available, there is the simple need of finances. Come help us“

The immediate need is for $20,000 to provide food. Followed by another $6,000 for a shipping container with clothes to be collected through the ministry, and $4,000 for logistics. We invite you to respond to this crisis and reach out with Indigenous Ministries to our Brothers and Sisters in Iraq. Can you help us help them?

Thank you for your prayers for the Christians in Iraq and your partnership.

“What man is a man that does not leave this world a better place?”

One of the most incredible stories for Indigenous Ministries this year is that Miriam has been found alive! We thank the Lord! Many of you prayed with us last year as one of our own Indigenous Ministries’ Egyptian team member, Miriam, 24, was kidnapped, abused, and weeks later, her family was told she had been beheaded. We were heartsick and deeply grieved as her disappearance was just 1 week before her marriage. She served with our ministry 8 months teaching Arabic to girls literacy courses, computer and Biblical training. This is all banned in Islam in Egypt.

MIRIAM FOUND ALIVE

Just yesterday, I received word from our team lead in Egypt that Miriam was found in Cairo. She has been a captive, her head was shaved, she was beaten, brutally abused and was forced to convert to Islam. But she is safe. She escaped her horrible captors and is being kept in a safe place until her case is heard this week before the civil rights court for these human rights violations. The court will give her Christian status back to her because of the violations. Her abductors have been captured and will stand trial. Miriam is shaken, physically healing and recovering from her ordeal. She is, however, in another horrible predicament. She cannot return to her family and village at least for a year because of what has happened to her. She will be challenged with the emotional and physical scars and the stigma on her.

HELPING MIRIAM

She will have to live elsewhere until her issues are settled. I am working with our Middle East Coordinator, Pastor Philip, along with my wife, Dee, the Director of Beautiful International to find a safe country we can send her to. We will not abandon this precious young woman who loves the Lord and has served with us in ministry. Of course this picture above is not Miriam, but a symbol of women who are abused and whose lives Beautiful International are touching and reaching with the Gospel. I’m asking for an initial $5,000 to help pay for Miriam’s human rights attorney and send her to a safe place for at least one year. This will buy a plane ticket, room, board, counseling and livelihood training for her. This won’t cover everything but its a start; it will be an encouragement to her.

Specifically this is what we can join together to help Miriam: Pray for Miriam that God would grant her peace of heart.Pray for a place where we can safely have Miriam healed, ministered to Pray for those that abducted her; that they would renounce their sin and trust Christ as their Savior. The Lord reminds us to pray for those who despitefully use us. Would you stand with Dee and me and our ministry team in Egypt in prayers and financial support as we reach out to help in this crisis? We are asking the Lord for $5000 right now to be able to respond to this need. Thank you and God bless you.