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TechnoratiOne of our Open Doors co-workers reported earlier this year that the anarchistic situation in Iraq – especially in such cities as Bagdad and Mosul – has destroyed the optimism of most Christians caught in the crossfire.
He reported that terrorists and armed gangs continue to specifically target Christians.
He said: “Every time I visit (Iraq), I talk with a man from Mosul. Every time he tells me the situation is worse than the previous time I was in Iraq. Another Christian told me he had to buy new clothes for his wife because during a shooting on the streets, her wardrobe was riddled with bullets. A third man explained in detail what happened when he brought his son to school and a car bomb went off. The little boy ran inside the school and saw a human heart hanging against the window.”
Four violent groups are active in Iraq: Sunnite insurgents who used to belong to Saddam’s Baath Party, Sunnites who are fighting for Al Qaeda, Shiites and a group comprised of criminals and gangs who don’t belong to any of the other insurgency groups.
Each of these parties has their own reasons to intimidate, kidnap or even kill Christians, but the main reason is for money to finance their battles. Most Christians are shop owners and have some money. In addition, the small Christian minority has no armed branch to provide protection for them. Muslim extremists want to spread Islam and remove Christians from their cities, he added.
Shortly after the fall of Saddam Hussein, church visitation rose sharply. Since then it has dropped because of all the violence and insecurity. Many Christians have fled to the northern part of Iraq and neighboring countries like Jordan and Syria. In 1991, approximately 900,000 Christians lived in Iraq. Today there are about half that number in the country. According to a United Nations report, an estimated 2 million Iraqis have fled their homeland since the start of the war in 2003.
Those Christians who flee to northern Iraq or another country often face a new set of dangers – lack of shelter, food, water and work. And stress over their future.
To stay or flee – that is on the hearts and on the minds of many Iraqi Christians. Like Hazim, who almost lost his life and the lives of his two sons by narrowly escaping a bomb blast while driving them home from school. Should he stay and be a lighthouse in the darkness or leave their extended family and friends for another country? What would you do?
While the Iraqi war is a political football in the United States and other countries, Christians in the West need to put the focus on those who are not only targets of violence, but have little control over their fragile situation. It is vital that an active Christian church remains in Iraq so believers can be a beacon and a positive force for peace. Pray for stability for the country. Pray for safety for those who remain. Pray for those who have fled but face an uncertain future. Pray for wisdom for leaders in our country.
According to the Open Doors co-worker, God continues to work in the midst of the violence in Iraq. He said: “An Islamic taxi driver was driving in Mosul. He dropped off a Christian client and noticed after a little while that the man had forgotten his necklace. The taxi driver decided to wear the necklace with the cross. Later that day he was stopped by armed men. They asked him: ‘Are you Sunnite or Shiite?’ He knew that if he gave the wrong answer he would be shot. He answered quickly, ‘I am neither. I am Christian. Here! Look!’ And he pointed to the cross on his chest. The men laughed and said, ‘We don’t believe you, but drive on.’ When he arrived home he told his wife, ‘Jesus saved me!’ That day he gave his life to Jesus.”
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Dr. Carl Moeller is president/CEO of Open Doors USA
