Thousands
of Assyrian Christian families have been displaced through religious
persecution and ethnic cleansing in the Middle East.
These
victims have been abused, tortured and are tired of running. Hope is hard to
find.
But
thanks to the the support of Juliana Taimoorazy, founder and president of the
Iraqi Christian Relief Council, thousands of Assyrian, Syriac, and Chaldean
Christians in Iraq have been helped.
The
organization provides urgent humanitarian supplies during dire situations to
those who need urgent help.
Taimoorazy
has an amazing personal story, having escaped Iran as a Christian
refugee.
She
and her organization received 'Michelle Malkin's Bulldog Award' for her relief
efforts.
Last
year, the Iraqi Christian Relief Council helped 95,000 Assyrian Christians in
Iraq.
"More
than half of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council's aid went directly into the
hands of vulnerable Christians in Iraq," the council said in a statement.
"And more than 85 percent of persecuted Christians who receive our aid are
in Iraq."
"Assyrian
Christians need protection within Iraq so that their faith, ethnicity and
cultural heritage are not eradicated as Islamic terrorists have worked towards
since 2003. A protected safe zone would lead to the creation of a province for
all minorities in Iraq," explained Taimoorazy, who is also a senior fellow
at Philos Project.
The
Iraqi Christian Relief Council aids Assyrian Christians in Syria, Lebanon,
Syria, Jordan and Turkey, many of whom are under attack by ISIS in their
homeland.
Tragically,
253 Assyrian Christians from 35 different villages along the Khabur River were
kidnapped by ISIS on February 23, 2015, and taken hostage.
All
but three survived and were eventually released.
The
Iraqi Christian Relief Council stands with Syria's Christian community amidst
their country's civil war, now in its fifth year.
Last
year, Iraqi Christian Relief Council aided nearly 8,000 vulnerable Christians
living in Jordan. The organization provides safe places for Assyrian Christian
children to learn and play.
Workers
also distribute emergency food and store credit cards for families to purchase
essential goods. In addition, they provide medical care for Christians
suffering from chronic diseases, such as cancer, but unable to afford necessary
treatment.
In
Turkey, many of the families have fled extreme violence and religious
persecution.
Taimoorzy
says Christians in Turkey often fall victim to attacks during times of
political upheaval, such as the 2016 attempted coup.
Christian
families living in Turkey have reported they pretend to be Muslim in order to
receive aid or evade persecution in their host country.