Christian persecution and hope

I spend 75% of my time, working in Erbil, in Kurdistan.  When I am there I worship at Mar Elia Catholic Church in the Christian area, called Ainkawa.   The story related here
http://tinyurl.com/qb257rn tells part of the story of what is happening.

Just before these refugees departed Erbil, I attended mass, given by Father Douglas.  He spoke movingly of his mixed emotions.  150 people would be moving from living in sea-containers and sharing basic sanitary facilities to better accommodation, in Slovakia.  He was pleased that the lives of these people would be dramatically improved and that Christian charity was being extended by the people of Slovakia.  However, he was also concerned at the continual eradication of Christians from Iraq, where they have worshipped for almost 2,000 years.  

Father Douglas was too polite to say it but the Muslim countries are fast becoming mono-theist lands.  Non-muslims are being eliminated - oftentimes, literally - from these countries.  Fortunately, Kurdistan's leaders are enlightened enough to appreciate the benefits that come from having non-muslims within the country.  This makes it ever more critical that Western governments provide military materiel to the Peshmerga, who are the only force on the ground, that daily confront the evil death-cult, Daesh. 

In the West there are many so called liberals who hog the media limelight and talk of the need to 'open our doors' to refugees.  Trouble is that what they get, is male Muslims.  Check out all of the TV footage and newspaper photographs, that you can.  Women and children are very sparse.  These invading hordes are overwhelmingly male an, judging by some media reports, exclusively Muslim.  Indeed, there have been repeated stories of Christian refugees being kept off of boats and transports, sometimes very forcibly so.        

Readers of previous blogs will know of my opposition to Europe taking-in refugees.  Broadly, my stance hasn't changed but I found myself, a couple of weeks ago, sitting in a church in Erbil with a priest giving me a different slant on the subject.  These 150 people are truly refugees  and not economic migrants and I certainly couldn't begrudge them the improvement that they will find in Slovakia, though I do wonder what is to become of the cradle of Christianity, when the last Christians are forced out, especially, when so much of the Christian European heartlands are being swamped by invaders, with an alien religion.

There are 2,000 Christian refugees who are still encamped in the grounds of Mar Elia church, in Erbil.  If you  were looking for a charity or cause  to support, this Christmas, I am sure Father Douglas would appreciate the help.  And so would those poor, suffering folk.  Please remember them all in your prayers, and also, the good people of Slovakia.