"In Mosul the situation was very bad, especially for the Christians. We were afraid of them and afraid for our lives. It was too dangerous to stay in Iraq."
Ammar
"I was living in Qaraqosh, a town with just Christian people. About 60,000 people lived there. I was an art teacher and I also had a mobile phone shop. In 2014 ISIS attacked Qaraqosh. There were three choices for us - convert to Islam, pay the Jizya (tax for non-Muslims), or be killed. We fled Qaraqosh in just our clothes."
Imad
"I was living near Mosul. During the war (2003 invasion), people were being killed according to their identity. I saw my friends in a car near my house get killed."
Afnan
"Living as a Christian in Iraq is very hard, especially for girls. You cannot
go out or do anything. They think that it's okay
for Christians to do anything or wear anything we want because they think Christianity is what they see on TV or in the movies, that you can do anything - sleep around, drink alcohol, do drugs, do whatever you want. This is the image of Christianity in the mind of many Muslims."
Michael
"In Mosul I had a restaurant but they blew it up because I am Christian.
"After that I went back to Qaraqosh which was a safe place.
"When ISIS came there in 2014 I left everything behind and went to Jordan."
Raed
"My wife and I left the day before ISIS came into the town. My wife was about to give birth so I had to make preparations and go quickly. The hard part for me was leaving my parents and brother behind. I will never hold a gun. I won't fight for land. The most important thing for me is that my family is safe."
With your support, we provide monthly food, shelter and medical care to 700 Iraqi Christian families in Jordan. If you would like to help us in our mission, please see the giving options below.
