For your average child, these words mean a sad farewell to the summer and a reluctant hello to homework. But for 12-year-old Noeh in Iraq, school is something he longs for.
Noeh’s family were displaced three years ago when Islamic State (IS) seized control of their village near Mosul. The terrifying threats of IS sent the entire village running for their lives. Since then, the villagers have been living as a displaced community, supported by their church leader Father Thabet, and Open Doors partner organisations in Erbil.
A few months ago, they were able to celebrate the liberation of Karamles, but most won’t be able to return for some time. IS fighters set fire to all 800 homes upon their retreat, severely damaging most, and razing about 100 of them to the ground. With no easy access to water and electricity, the job of rebuilding is an uphill struggle. “We start with the houses with the least amount of damage,” says Father Thabet, “But our budget is limited and the government is not helping us.”
The government wants children to go back to school – but that’s not possible yet, either. The cracked cream-coloured walls of Noeh’s old classroom still stand, but there’s rubble everywhere and weeds peeping through the floor. Worse than that, IS may have hidden bombs there.
“Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners,” says Lamentations 5: Written in the 6th century BC, these words could have been uttered by any number of displaced peoples in Iraq today. Christians and other minorities feel unsafe in their own land. It’s not just new homes they need. It’s a new environment. In order to return to their villages and towns, Father Thabet says, “We will need international support and protection. That is the only way our future as Christians in this country can be guaranteed.”
Noeh’s family can pay tribute to the faithfulness of God in their period of exile. Thanks to the prayers and gifts of Open Doors supporters, they and thousands like them have received practical aid are now looking to the future with faith. But they need the church in the UK, Ireland, and around the world, to speak up for them. That way they can rebuild their homes, their lives and their beloved nation – and Noeh can get back to school.
Please pray:
- for the rebuilding of Karamles, giving thanks for God’s faithfulness to Noeh’s family and community
- for increasing peace, stability and for pressure on the government, through the petition to bring a positive future for Christians in Iraq
- that the body of Christ around the world will stand in solidarity with their brothers and sisters, bringing hope to the Middle East.
You can hear more stories of faith from the Middle East and pray with others for persecuted Christians around the world at Open Doors celebration in Birmingham on 14 October: Standing Strong. For more information and to sign the global petition, go to www.opendoorsuk.org