(Photo: Screengrab, Canon Andrew White)Rev. Canon Andrew White, the founder of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East, in a video posted March 4, 2017.
ishtartv.com - christianpost.com
By
Anugrah Kumar, Mar 6, 2017
In a
new video posted to YouTube, a prominent Anglican priest who is known as the
"Vicar of Baghdad" explains why he likes U.S. President Donald Trump
in relation to his dealings with the Middle East and persecuted Christians.
The
world needs to realize the fact that "there is a new president, and
actually there is hope with this president," says the Rev. Canon Andrew
White, the founder of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the
Middle East, in the video which he shot in London.
"There
is very much hope for the persecuted Christians in the (Middle East)
region," he adds.
"It's
very interesting that even though President Trump had said no Iraqis were
allowed into America, it now looks he's gone back on that original issue, and
he's allowing the Iraqis in because he acknowledges how much the Iraqis did in
the combat of 2003 and held close the Americans and the Iraqis who were working
together. So there are positive things there."
While
wearing a Wheaton College sweatshirt, the 53-year-old British clergyman
mentioned several places he plans to visit during an upcoming trip to the
United States, including Patrick Henry College, a Christian school in Northern
Virginia, and some members of the Trump administration.
President
Trump has pledged to give priority to persecuted Christians as
refugees.
"We
are going to help them (persecuted Christians). They've been horribly
treated," Trump told CBN News in January. "Do you know if you were a
Christian in Syria it was impossible, at least very tough to get into the
United States? If you were a Muslim you could come in, but if you were a
Christian, it was almost impossible and the reason that was so unfair,
everybody was persecuted in all fairness, but they were chopping off the heads
of everybody but more so the Christians. And I thought it was very, very
unfair."
In
December, White urged people to pray for General David Petraeus to
become the Secretary of State.
"Please
Please pray that Gen. David Petraeus becomes the next US Secretary of
State," he wrote on his Facebook page. "I know there have been some
problems with him at times but he was a most wonderful member of my
congregation in Iraq, I loved him … Petraeus was amazing in Iraq and a member
of my congregation. Trump one thing I know is he is a man of action and can
make things, what things who knows?"
While
Petraeus was reportedly considered for the position, Trump chose Exxon CEO Rex
Tillerson instead.
White,
who is currently serving in Amman, Jordan, was the vicar of Saint George's
Church in Baghdad but left Iraq in 2014 due to threats from the Islamic State
terror group, which is also known as IS, ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh. White has
extensive experience of conflict mediation in Iraq and the Middle East, and has
written about conflict resolution, having been involved in many hostage
negotiations.
White
works as a pastor to many Christian families who sought refuge in Jordan after
fleeing IS attacks in Iraq. He also serves in Jerusalem for reconciliation
between Israelis and Palestinians.
Last
June, White was suspended from his own charity over alleged payments
made to free sex slaves seized by IS. He explained the reason was "some
inaccurate statements I made about our work with and funding for the former
slave girls taken by ISIS."
"What
is clear is that at no time did we pay money to any terrorists," he added.
White's
charity "provides emergency relief to Christians and other persecuted
minorities in Northern Iraq, as well thousands of Iraqi refugees who have fled
to Jordan to escape the sectarian violence," according to its website. "In addition to
spiritual support we provide food, medicine and shelter."
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