Apr 11, 2025
Nadia, her husband, and their three children were driven from their homes when the Islamic State group (ISIS) swept through Iraq in 2014 — all for one reason.
“We were persecuted because we are Christians and carry the identity of Jesus,” Nadia said.
Only one day after burying her father, Nadia had to leave behind her home and her church to seek safety elsewhere with her family.
“I didn’t get a chance to say a proper goodbye or visit his grave every day, which weighed heavily on me,” she recalled. “A year and a half after the displacement, I lost my mother due to the sorrow and trauma of what we had gone through. On top of that, I had to cover the medical expenses for my daughter and my husband, which added to the burden during such a difficult time.”
MORE THAN A CAKE SHOP
By the grace of God, ISIS was defeated in Nadia’s town and the family was able to return. However, left with nothing, they struggled to keep food on the table as her husband suffers from medical conditions that make it difficult for him to find work.
Through your generosity, International Christian Concern (ICC) was able to provide Nadia with her own cake and pastry business to support the family.
“[ICC] didn’t just help me develop my project and provide me with the items I needed, but they also helped me rise again and shake off the dust that had settled on me,” Nadia said. “No other organization supported me when I returned to Qaraqosh. Even more, ICC gave me confidence in myself. Their continued care after the project was completed, asking about my well-being, my work, and my family, really showed how much they cared.”
“Today, I am not the same as I was before 2014 because I came to truly understand what it means to be a Christian, especially in the midst of people with extremist views like ISIS.”
THE GOODNESS OF GOD AMID TRAGEDY
It is our hope and prayer that many families like Nadia’s will see the goodness of God in the aftermath of so much tragedy. However, this work is only made possible through your support.
Though defeated in Nadia’s town, ISIS continues to wreak havoc in other regions. Through your financial gifts, we hope to provide families in similar situations with small business support, medical care, education, and more.
Stay Awake. Keep Watch.
SOURCE: Internal Christian Concern