The Children Martyrs of Iraq
They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” – Revelations 6:10
My neighbor came to the U.S. ten years ago as a refugee from Iraq. She and her family fled in the middle of the night as Islamist extremists drove her catholic family from their home.
She once told me that she teaches her children not to trust Islamists. I thought it seemed a bit heavy to be teaching to young children.
But obviously she knew something I didn’t yet know. She knew that in the name of Islam, Muslim extremists would slaughter innocent children. She knew this because she has experienced Islam extremism played out. She knew, that they would stop at nothing to kill religious minority groups. And yes, that they would even kill innocent children and specifically Christians and Catholics.
The email below is a first hand account from a missionary in northern Iraq.
Please take a moment to read this. We must be willing to look at what’s happening to the Christian children in Iraq.
“Sonrise Community Church Message from: Pastor Tony Foglio
Please take a moment to read and pray now. This report came thru one of our own Elders from a trusted missionary. It is true. Here it is as I received it in it’s entirety:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Thought you should see this first – hand account about what is happening on the ground in Iraq at the hands of the ISIS. These believers are suffering the same conditions that the early Christians faced, and who gave their lives rather than recant. We need to get on our knees in prayer for these dear brothers and sisters who are undergoing such severe trial ‘that their faith fail not.’
Here is the message:
This is so sad A friend from Ohio just got a text message from her brother asking her to shower him and his parish in prayer. He is part of a mission team and ISIS has taken over the town they are in today. He said ISIS is systematically going house to house to all the Christians and asking the children to denounce Jesus. He said so far not one child has. And so far all have consequently been killed, but not the parents.
The UN has withdrawn and the missionaries are now on their own. They are determined to stick it out for the sake of the families – even if it means their own deaths. He is very afraid, has no idea how to even begin ministering to these families who have had seen their children martyred. Yet he says he knows God has called him for some reason to be his voice and hands at this place at this time. Even so, he is begging prayers for his courage to live out his vocation in such dire circumstances. And like the children accept martyrdom if he is called to do so.
She asked me to ask everyone we know to please pray for them. These brave parents instilled such a fervent faith in their children that they chose martyrdom. Please surround them in their loss with your prayers for hope and perseverance. She was able to talk to her brother briefly by phone. She didn’t say it but I believe she believes it will be their last conversation. Pray for her too. She said he just kept asking her to help him know what to do and do it. She told him to tell the families we ARE praying for them and they are not alone or forgotten — no matter what. Her e mail broke my heart. Please keep all in your prayers. – Thanks
Please pray sincerely for the deliverance of the people of Northern Iraq from the terrible advancement of ISIS and its extreme Islamic goals for mass conversion or death for Christians across this region. May I plead with you not to ignore this email. Do not forward it before you have prayed through it. Then send it to as many people as possible.
Send it to friends and Christians you may know. Send it to your prayer group. Send it to your pastor and phone him/her to pray on Sunday during the service – making a special time of prayer for this. We need to stand in the gap for our fellow Christians.”
“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercifully and to walk humbly with your God.” -Micah 6:8
This letter is shocking and heartbreaking.
And yet, the president of the United States continues to downplay the acts of these horrifying cold-blooded ISIL and ISIS killers. He once referred to them as a “JV team.”
President Obama is ignoring the facts as ISIL and ISIS are persecuting Christians in huge numbers. This is not a JV team. These are Muslim extremists seeking the deaths of innocent children who do not convert to Islam.
God be with the children in Iraq – boldly dying for their faith, and the parents who are experiencing unimaginable grief.
