Christians in Iraq have demonstrated great faith in God and a stunning love towards man. Some years back, they were captured by ISIS militants, and instead of taking revenge, they decided to forgive them. It’s a beautiful moment of faith.
Four years ago, ISIS militants were sweeping through Iraq, completely decimating all that was in their path, sparing no one.
“When ISIS swept through northern Iraq they decimated the Christian population. They gave people the option to convert, die or in some cases flee,” Walther explained. “ISIS wanted to stamp out any kind of difference and as a result, they undertook a program that didn’t just remove people. It also removed property. It also removed anything that spoke to an earlier culture.”
ISIS dominated the Ninevah Plains for the next two years, destroying everything they could, including over 13,00 homes and 263 church buildings.
“ISIS’ goal was to] also blow up monuments, to blow up churches, to blow up things that indicated a religious belief that was at odds or just different from ISIS,” Walther added.
Christians in the Ninevah Plains fled for their lives, some making it to other countries, where they would live for years, others not making it safely.
Father Salar Kajo from the NRC said they could forgive because of Jesus Christ. “In the name of Jesus Christ everything is possible. The people have suffered greatly; for three years as refugees in Iraqi Kurdistan they faced many difficulties.”
“But they have a faith that has enabled them to overcome everything, although not without difficulty. This faith also makes it possible for them to truly live this forgiveness.”
This story is a story of a people’s homecoming, after being exiled for so many years, being forced to barely survive in foreign lands, while ISIS swept through their towns and villages, destroying everything in their path.
Yet, the same people who were forced out of their homes are the same people who are returning with forgiveness in their hearts.