Dear Friend,

I just recently received an alarming call from a key church leader in the Middle East, who gave me a firsthand report on the grave situation of Christians in Iraq.

You may have seen news stories about the recent wave of church bombings, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Iraqi believers are living in constant fear of violent persecution. Extremists have used the most vicious tactics in their attempt to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ, including brutalizing women and children.

Recent military and political gains in the country have not brought security. In fact, the threat to the Iraqi church has never been greater.

For years, Samaritan’s Purse has been assisting a growing congregation in Baghdad.
Even in the face of death threats, these faithful Christians have stood firm for the Gospel, refusing to abandon this ancient land to the forces of darkness. They take God’s Word seriously when Jesus says, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28a, NKJV).

As a result, the Lord has used this congregation to bring many Iraqis into His kingdom, transforming some of the most hardened unbelievers into dedicated servants of Christ.

I’d like to tell you the story of an Iraqi named Sabah, who was once a general in Saddam Hussein’s army. Despite his position and privileges, Sabah realized his life was empty.

“I knew there was something missing in me,” he said.

Shortly after the fall of Saddam’s government, he decided to attend a worship service at the Baghdad church we support. By the end of the service, Sabah had tears in his eyes as he prayed, “Jesus, forgive me, and give me new life.”

Sabah was offered a high-ranking office in the new Iraqi government, but turned it down.

“I told them I could not accept this job because now I am committed to serving only my Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.

Today he is studying at the Bible school we helped build in Lebanon, and plans to return to his homeland as a minister of the Gospel. With support from Samaritan’s Purse, Sabah and his family regularly distribute food, medicine, clothing, and other supplies to Iraqi refugees struggling to survive in Beirut.

Through this ministry of compassion, hundreds have repented of their sins and prayed to receive Christ.

Another area of Iraq where Samaritan’s Purse is working is in the Kurdish region north of Baghdad. We nearly have completed construction on a Christian medical clinic and community center. The clinic will help meet the medical needs in this desperately poor area, and the community center will provide children with a safe place to play and learn. We are trusting God to use this outreach to bring many people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

PAKISTAN: ‘He Died in My Arms’
In this volatile country, attacks on believers have reached fever pitch. Last month, angry mobs launched a series of attacks targeting Christians after hearing false reports alleging desecration of the Koran.

CNN reported that “four women, two men, and a child, all Christians, were either shot to death or killed when their houses were burned. About 50 houses were burned down, and more than 100 were looted.”

At the time, Samaritan’s Purse already had a disaster response team in northern Pakistan working to provide relief supplies to vulnerable people displaced by fighting between Taliban militias and government troops. After hearing about the atrocities committed against our Pakistani brothers and sisters, our team immediately traveled south to the area to see how we could help. The situation was appalling, as they described it in their report:

“A mob armed with sticks attacked the village, destroying the electric and water systems. They smashed doors, dishes, and beds. They looted anything valuable. The carnage lasted for three hours. People were stripped and beaten. Some were sprayed with acid. Many were burned to death inside of their homes.”

These Pakistani believers already lived in deep poverty. Christians are a minority in Pakistan, and most of them can work only in the lowest paying jobs. Our team immediately began providing temporary shelters, stoves, beds, and hygiene kits. Kitchens have been set up to serve them hot meals while they re-establish their households.

Often in the course of these attacks, Christians are told that their lives will be spared if they reject Jesus Christ.

“When we refused, they started beating us,” said an elderly woman. “My husband could not survive this torture. He died in my arms.”

Our team provided for her physical needs and prayed with her. She could not stop crying as she thanked them for standing with her.

INDIA: ‘They Will Not Defeat Us’
Samaritan’s Purse has been working in India for over 25 years, helping to build more than a thousand churches and several Bible schools. More recently, we have been providing assistance to believers in Orissa state who have endured months of violent attacks after being wrongly accused of assassinating a hard-line Hindu leader.

According to the Associated Press, “Police blamed local Maoist guerrillas for the killing, but Hindu militants quickly turned on local Christians and the rampages left at least 40 people dead, thousands homeless, and dozens of churches destroyed.”

Working with a local ministry partner, we have provided food, cooking utensils, clothes, and other necessities to these terrorized believers, many of whom had to flee to government camps or hide in forests.

“We are so thankful that we are not forgotten by other Christians around the world,” said a homeless woman. “As you show us God’s love, you give us hope that we can rebuild our homes and our churches. They will not defeat us. Just see how their cruelty will advance the work of Christ.”

Around the world, tens of millions of Christians face oppression, imprisonment, torture, and even death for the sake of Christ. Iran, for example, recently launched a major crackdown on house churches and arrested a large number of believers. Terrorists in Somalia have been kidnapping and beheading Christians who refuse to renounce their faith. In Indonesia, mobs regularly attack churches and Bible schools, including a large Christian college in Jakarta whose students were evicted by thugs wielding machetes.

Now more than ever, it’s crucial for those of us who can freely and safely express our faith to stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Your prayers and financial support help to sustain them in their hour of need, so they can continue to bring the light of the Gospel to the darkest places in the world.

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in
our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NKJV).

Thank you, and may God bless you.

Sincerely,

President
Samaritan's Purse