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Prayer Topics - Iraq
Being based in a multi-cultural city, we are occassionally joined by friends from Iraq. They bring news from people living in Iraq and this story is typical:
"He was the oldest son in the family, the bread winner, described by his friends and family as a loving caring son. He was a handsome young man full of life. John’s work was to report and show the whole world what has happened after the war in Iraq. He was a sound engineer, working alongside the cameraman, Simon, a family man. They were good friends, both working for the ABC News.
In mid-May, John and Simon were heading home after a long day’s work. John was giving a lift home to his friend. On the way they were followed by two cars packed with gun men, one car crashed in to John’s car from the side and anther car stopped in front of him. John and Simon were abducted by these people. When John did not arrive home as usual, his family tried to contact him on his mobile to find out where he was. His sister dialled his number several times but there was no answer. In the end somebody answered the phone called him self Abu and told John’s sister that John. would be back home soon.
When tomorrow became today there were no signs of John, so his family approached the police seeking help (from the helpless). The officer on the duty told them that one of their patrols had come across two bodies nearby. The police took photos of them and took the bodies to the Al Yarmok hospital. So the family found the bodies of John and Simon in the hospital. The bodies had been lying in the sun on the floor for a whole day.
His brother told me,"I found my brother’s body thrown on the floor as though he had never existed. Only two days before he had been a young, hard working, living, valuable human being."
Those who murdered John and Simon were from one of the Militia; they admitted it later on that day. The same group had attacked John’s family house and driven them out of the area. They had accused John and his brothers of being American agents and said that, “they were spying for the Americans, and reporting the movement of these Militia groups in the area where they were living”. They threatened to kill John’s two brothers as well if they didn’t leave the house. They were told that they can not rent it out to any one; “instead they must abandon it and be grateful."
They left and fled even before carrying out the funeral in the house and grieving for their loss, John’s family fled to Syria immediately after they buried their son.
John and Simon had left behind their families. John left not only his family but also his fiancée. His mother told me that,she had been preparing for his wedding. John and Simon were reporting what was happing in the streets of Baghdad and also showing that Iraqi people will never lose hope even when Iraq is in this chaos."
John’s family have requested that we publish the story of their son and we ask you to pray for John and his family and all the people of Iraq who long for the day that they might live their lives in peace and free from fear.
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