By Allie Martin
October 3, 2003
(AgapePress) - A California-based ministry is stepping up its efforts to support Christians in war-torn Iraq.
Open Doors With Brother Andrew is a ministry that serves and strengthens the persecuted church around the world. According to ministry workers, the recent overthrow of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has left great devastation in its wake, but it has also created greater religious freedom in that country -- at least for the time being.
Open Doors' Jerry Dykstra says Christians must take advantage of the new opportunities. He notes that the present situation is a "strategic moment in Iraq's Church history," when the door truly is open for Christians to reach out to and assist believers in Iraq.
"We need to strengthen them and pray for them, because ten years from now we don't want to say we didn't help our brothers and sisters when the opening was there," Dykstra says.
The Open Doors spokesman says there are numerous opportunities for Christians to help believers in Iraq, and ministry representatives have visited with pastors and church leaders there to determine specific needs.
Currently Open Doors is aiding 1,500 Christian families, offering medical assistance, distributing emergency food to families facing severe hunger, and providing Iraqi Christians with resources such as study Bibles, training, and discipleship tools. "Also," Dykstra notes, "we're opening a number of Christian resource centers in two key cities in Iraq."
The ministry's spokesman points out that Open Doors provides medical aid to Iraqi citizens in need regardless of their faith, which he says creates an evangelistic inroad for the ministry. "We're also establishing mobile medical clinics that will benefit both Christians and Muslims, and this will be an opportunity also to reach out to the Muslim population there," he says.
It is estimated that there are between 350,000 and half a million Christians living in Iraq.
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