Top image: In August 2011, another church in Iraq was bombed (Photo: Ankawa).
Driven out of their own country
Christians in Iraq are being driven out of their own country. It is estimated that while there were more than a million Christians in the early 1990s, today that number is less than half a million. Many have fled, while others have been killed in their churches and homes. For example, 52 people were killed on October 31, 2010, when al-Qaeda terrorists attacked a church in Baghdad during worship. The only crime of the churchgoers was that they were Christians.
An Iraqi Christian man recounts: While he was still in Baghdad, he received many threats both verbal and written. One of his daughters was kidnapped and returned the next day with the message: "As you can see, we can reach you and we can hurt you, so get out of here now." They burned his shop and threw a decapitated chicken at his front door. All to get him to leave immediately.
A refugee can't hold back the tears.
Eventually the pressure became too much and he left with his daughters, his wife and his elderly father for Jordan. They left everything behind. He told the story in tears, but he is grateful to at least have his family safe with him.
This man has received relief, but there are still many Iraqi Christian refugees like this man and his family who need help.
Churches can help
On Collection Day, October 9, Danish churches can lend a helping hand to the persecuted Iraqi Christians. The Christian Iraqi refugees will receive food supplies, warm blankets, heaters, kerosene and encouraging Christian literature that they so desperately need.
Half of the collection goes to the Danish European Mission's work for Iraqi Christians who have fled to northern Iraq or neighboring countries, while the other half supports the work of mission societies in Asia and Africa.
Smiles come out when the aid is handed out.
