4/4/2017   Iraq  (Rome Reports) Amidst the ongoing war in Iraq, one family chooses to stay and exemplify Christ to those who cannot leave. Dr. Bashar Alsaqat remains in the country not only to help the sick and wounded civilians, but he also operates on wounded ISIS militants. In addition to this ministry, Alsaqat’s wife works to serve the 50 refugees they house in their own home. Dr. Alsaqat said “I am a doctor and my wife is a teacher, and we decided to stay and serve our people. The most difficult thing is to convince my colleagues to operate on patients from ISIS. They look at them like the enemy, but I try to convince them that this man is a human being. That’s why we have to help them, even if the operation lasts two or three hours.” Please pray… Pray for Dr. Bashar and his wife who have chosen to stay behind and serve wounded civilians in Iraq and be the presence of Christ’s love there. Pray for Dr. Bashar and his wife’s safety and strength as they continue their ministry during the war. Pray that God will guide those in need to Dr. Bashar and his wife so that they may receive healing and rest and hear about Jesus. […]

3/1/2017  Iraq  (Christian Post) Recent video footage published by the Islamic State shows ISIS militants strapping explosives to a puppy to be sent out to blow up enemy troops on the frontline of the battle for Mosul. There is no end to what ISIS will do to maintain the land they now hold. The jihadists claim that such a bomb could kill three to four enemy soldiers. Please pray… Pray that in the presence of Jesus’ light all darkness would flee, and that the light of Christ would expose all lies and reveal Jesus in Iraq. Pray that God would raise up Christians who will boldly share the hope of Jesus with ISIS fighters. Pray that God would thwart the evil plans of ISIS and instead bring good out of the battle for Mosul.  

2/6/2017 Iraq  (Christian Post) Islamic State militants have reportedly chopped off the hands of two children who refused to execute civilians in a training program. The children were between the ages of 10 and 12, and did not obey when jihadists ordered them to execute civilians in front of their families. The Islamic radical group has been indoctrinating young boys as soldiers, calling them “Cubs of the Caliphate”, and has carried out mass rapes of women and children, enslaving thousands. There have been numerous stories of jihadists forcing children to carry out executions.This brutality and training is part of the militant’s final attempt at terrorizing those still living under their control in Iraq. Security forces continue to liberate more of Mosul and Nineveh each day. Please pray… Pray for children who are suffering as a result of what they’ve experienced at the hands of ISIS; pray that God will heal their minds and hearts. Pray for the many children in the Middle East Africa and Asia who are forced to be child soldiers and sex slaves, that they will be delivered from such lives, get an education, and be able to play and live with the same rights other children have. Pray for evil and terror to be overcome by the power and love […]

1/31/2017  Iraq  (Christian Daily) A woman and her four children attempting to flee ISIS occupied territory in Iraq just over a week ago were burned alive for their actions. As the woman and her children were trying to leave Kirkuk, Iraq, they were apprehended while on a highway and then executed. Their execution consisted of being burned alive by militants “while displaced civilians watched.” Others who flee the caliphate have to pay either between $300 or $400 for their freedom to leave or have to find alternative escape routes by night.   Please pray… Pray for those having to endure the terror and harsh treatment of ISIS in Iraq. Pray for those fleeing their homes, that they would reach safety and protection, and be provided for. Pray for the salvation of ISIS members since the gospel of Christ has no bounds, no limits, and no prejudices.

January 21, 2017  Iraq  (World Magazine) Nearly a year after the United States and others — including the European Union — declared ISIS actions to be genocide against Christians and other minorities, billions of dollars in humanitarian aid aren’t reaching these believers.  More than 3 million Iraqis have fled their homes since ISIS seized territory in Iraq in 2014, and the United States has allocated $2 billion in humanitarian aid and “economic support” for populations affected by ISIS. UN programs manage a significant portion of that funding, and they are only spending the money on Muslims.   Let’s pray… Pray that the US government under President Trump will require that aid money goes to Christians also. Pray that the UN would fairly distribute the aid money that is pledged for aid to refugees. Pray that these displaced Christians will have the food, blankets, and shelter they need to make it through the winter.

11/24/2016  Iraq (Gospel Herald) In 2014, a Christian village in the area of Qaraqosh was overrun by ISIS. Esam tells the story of how his brother-in-law was tortured for hours before being killed and crucified in front of his wife and children, who were forced to watch. Those who could not escape when ISIS took over the village were subjected to shocking levels of cruelty. Esam’s wife’s family members have suffered greatly at the hands of ISIS as another couple was abducted; the husband has not been heard of since, while the wife now lives with an ISIS amir. Esam’s wife and children were able to find asylum in Sweden. He is hoping to be able to travel to Jordan and eventually be reunited with his family. Let’s pray… Pray for Esam and his family to be reunited. Pray for the family members who have seen the suffering, torture, and deaths of their loved ones. Pray for those who continue to experience cruel oppression by ISIS.

11/5/2016 Iraq (Christian Post) Over the past two years, many thousands of Christians have been driven from their homes in and around the Mosul area of Iraq. For the first time since then, some were able to return to worship at their church in Qaraqosh, although it was charred and bore the marks of the suffering of the people in that area. While ISIS is no longer currently in Qaraqosh, there are still many people who need to be liberated from ISIS control in the surrounding areas. Let’s pray… Pray for those who are able to return to their home area as they try to rebuild their lives. Pray for further liberation in the areas where ISIS continues to terrorize and persecute people. Pray for Christians to remain faithful to Christ and know His presence through all they are experiencing.

11/4/2016 Iraq (Christian Daily) Pamphlets and posters recently found in liberated northern Iraqi villages detail how ISIS militants should treat female sex slaves. The details included how many “sisters” could be owned at one time and, depending on their ages, how exactly they could be used as concubines for ISIS. One 22-year old Yazidi woman, who was held captive for 27 months and raped repeatedly, tortured, and forced to convert to Islam, shared her story with Fox News about her traumatic experience as a sex slave for ISIS. Let’s pray… Pray for women and children taken as sex slaves, that they will be freed and receive the help they need to get through the trauma of such experiences. Pray for a change in attitude towards women and children in areas where they are oppressed and treated so cruelly. Pray that victims of sex slavery would not be devastated by their experience, but that they would, through God’s help and the sustaining presence of the Holy Spirit, receive healing and hope for their future.

10/29/2016 Iraq (FOX) As Iraqi forces attempted to recapture Mosul from ISIS, it was reported that the Islamic State group began using humans as their shields during this offensive. The U.N. reported that some living south of Mosul were being forced to a militant-held area by ISIS, adding to the 60,000 who have already been forcibly placed there. ISIS then separated former security force members from the women and children, and both groups were led on towards Mosul where they killed many of the former security forces. The U.S. used airstrikes and ground support to try to slow down the forced displacement of those living in this area. Let’s pray… Pray for the salvation of members of ISIS. Pray that U.S. intervention, along with the help of other nations, will aid in the slowing and eradicating of these atrocities.  Pray for those who have been forcibly displaced to have the provisions and protection they are in need of.

10/5/2016 Iraq (Christian Times) The archbishop of Erbil, Bashar Warda, is urging Iraqi Christians to stay in Iraq in order to help rebuild society, shape the future and provide refuge to the hurting. Over a million people have fled their homes in Iraq and the archbishop says persecuted Christians in Iraq are not merely victims but also ambassadors of hope and reconciliation. Let’s pray… Pray for Iraqi Christians who have had to abandon their families, their homes, their land and their property. Pray that God will convert the hearts of those who have taken up arms, and protect those who work for peace. Pray for Jesus’ name to be magnified in the Middle East for His is the Kingdom, the power and the glory, forever.