Refining faith amid conflict in Iraq

Lilyan is a Christian mother living in Iraq whose life has been shaped by the past and present conflicts many across the region have endured. Despite the fear of what else may come, she holds on to her hope in Jesus.

Conflict has left a long shadow over the life of Lilyan, a Christian mother living in Iraq. Unrest and persecution are obstacles she faces every day. And the shadow was first cast when her husband was killed in a terrorist attack.

It was 2 May 2010, and Lilyan’s husband was on his way to work. It was like any other day – until he found a bomb on a bus, planted to take the lives of Christian students travelling to university in Mosul. Lilyan’s husband immediately warned the buses and saved numerous lives – giving his own in the process.

At the time, Lilyan was pregnant. Only after the attack did she give birth to a baby girl whom she named Rafif. The little girl would grow up never knowing her father.

Sixteen years later, Lilyan remembers the day with painful freshness. But she hasn’t given up her faith – rather, her faith is what keeps her going.

Starting from scratch

That fateful day in 2010 was only the beginning of the effects of terrorist unrest in Lilyan’s life. She and her daughter lived in Qaraqosh until so-called Islamic State invaded the Nineveh Plain in 2014, forcing her family and many others to flee for safety.

“Out of the blue we were forced to leave our home, our possessions and our old lives behind,” Lilyan remembers. “It was a very difficult time. We had to start our lives over from scratch.”

They fled to Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, which posed more challenges. Where they had once lived, they spoke Arabic – in Erbil, people largely speak Kurdish. “The country was the same, but the lifestyle and the language were different from what we were used to,” Lilyan says.

Pressed down

Lilyan didn’t just struggle to fit in, though. She shares how she also faces discrimination for her faith – a problem faced by many Christians in Iraq. “It happens everywhere and every day, in schools, at work. In my line of work as a teacher, they deal with Christians differently – the majority-religion students are preferred,” she explains. “It is all about connections and because non-Christians have many connections, they are preferred for jobs and promotions, even inside schools. We are ignored.

“Even when you go to do your paperwork with the authorities, they try to delay it. It could sometimes be routine paperwork, but sometimes you notice that others’ paperwork is more quickly completed than ours as Christians.”

Unfortunately, the persecution is extended to students, too. “They always try to bring my 16-year-old daughter down so she is not on top, although her grades are excellent,” explains Lilyan.

There is another complication for Christian students. “In the Arabic language, most questions and almost all the material contain Quran verses, especially grammar. Even when writing a composition, if you put Quran verses in it, it will make your grade higher.”

Such challenges shape everyday life for some believers in Iraq, and that was before war returned to the region.

“Will history repeat itself?”

In recent months, Erbil has suffered over 800 attacks, being caught in the crossfire between the US, Israel and Iran. Lilyan remembers each one with clarity.

“It was chaos. Everyone was worried, saying ‘Will history repeat itself? Will we relive what we lived during the ‘80s or after 2014 and the displacement?’ It was like another slap in our faces,” she says. “Everyone started thinking about what to save, what to buy, what the future will look like, what will become of our kids, our family.

“Especially with those attacks, we were really scared because the American embassy is near to us, so we were always worried and wondering if the next hit will be on our house,” Lilyan recalls. “The house was shaking every time, and it was very scary.”

Though Rafif had almost no memory of previous upheaval as Lilyan did, she was still impacted by it. “She kept asking, ‘Will I finish my class this year? Will we continue studying?’” says Lilyan. “Most of her generation did not go through these wars and attacks, so this was all new and strange for her.”

In such times of uncertainty, Lilyan knew they had to hold on to hope in the gospel. “I tried my best to encourage Rafif through prayer and worship. With faith we can get through anything – without our faith we would not have been where we are now,” she declares. “God saved us from all the challenges we went through. Prayer is our strongest weapon, and I could help her conquer her fear through prayer.”

Looking to the future

Lilyan’s concerns are not primarily for her own future but for Rafif’s. “My hope for her is like any Iraqi mother: to have peace in the country, and of course I want her to have a bright and great future in a place she deserves, because she puts a lot of effort into studying.”

But with her hope comes persistent worries. Rafif will go to university in Mosul in two years’ time, which will involve travel each day – the same journey upon which her father was killed. “I am very worried about this,” Lilyan says. “I don’t know how I will be able to let her go there alone every day. If I get the chance, I will leave the country because I don’t want Rafif to go through what I went through.”

These concerns aren’t unique to this family, given the instability the region faces. But what sets them apart from those around them is their enduring faith. “Faith and prayer will help you get through everything. When you have faith in God, He will put His peace in you.”

Please continue to stand with our brothers and sisters in Iraq and across the Middle East holding on to faith, despite the fears they face. Thank you.