For 10 years a veteran of the Iraq-Iran war wondered how he could respond to Christ for having freed him from needing a wheelchair.
Years after losing use of his legs, Mustafa Abbas* was watching a Christian progam on a satellite channel in 2011 when he followed the speaker’s encouragement to pray in Christ’s name for healing, he told ministry workers in his native Iraq.
“I repeated those prayer words with all my heart and asked Christ to heal me, and I was healed,” he told the workers last year. “Christ healed me, and I am grateful to Him, and I know you are His followers – tell me how to return this favor to Him.”
They gave him a Bible and encouraged him to read it. The ministry leader then told Abbas, “If you want to return the favor, surrender your life to Christ as you surrendered your body, and the Lord will heal you from sin as he healed you in the body.”
The war veteran put his faith in Christ, he said.
“Not a week goes by that Mustafa doesn’t call us to ask us about an issue in the Bible and theological matters,” the leader said. “Hallelujah.”
Life Savers
The internally displaced in Iraq and refugees from other countries exceed 1 million, and local missionaries put in long days bringing food, water and other aid to as many of them as possible, along with Bibles and the gospel.
In a country where about one-third of the population lives below the poverty line, workers also extend aid to the poor, especially widows, and medical help for the sick. Outreach ramps up during the Christmas season, with workers hoping to match if not exceed last year’s distribution of 800 food baskets and help for 200 poor families in the form of blankets and electric heaters, the leader said.
“These outreaches also had a great impact in conveying the gospel message to people and distributing the Word of God,” he said. “Many prayers were recited, and many tears before the Lord, and many souls surrendered their lives to Christ.”
Among the internally displaced helped was a shepherd in a remote area who was struggling to feed and protect his family.
“We talked with him about the Good Shepherd, Christ, who leaves the 99 to save one, about God’s love and salvation, and he surrendered his life to Christ and obtained an audio Bible,” the leader said.
Workers helped him buy a small number of sheep and told him they were from Christ, he said.
“With his great experience, the Lord blessed him and tripled the number of his sheep as he roamed in the pastures and among the people shouting at the top of his voice, ‘Christ’s sheep, Christ’s sheep,’” the leader said. “Everyone who hears him asks him about it, and he tells passers-by about Christ and his salvation.”
Workers are bringing the love of Christ to spiritually and physically needy people throughout Iraq. Please consider a donation today to equip and encourage them.
*Name changed for security reasons