Search Results

Everyone Loves Ice Cream By Alice Seeley Published On June 24, 2021 Ice cream is everyone’s favorite summer treat! That is why we are very excited to announce the completion of our latest Nineveh SEED project, the Sweet and Ice Cream Shop in Teleskuf! Teleskuf is just 8 miles from Mosul, which was an ISIS stronghold and was on the front line of the war for three years. Abdulrahman Isaac, American FRRME’s Iraq Program Director, was very excited about the reopening of the Sweet Shop: “Before the ISIS conflict, there were several sweet shops in the town, but after the liberation of the town there were no such shops anymore. The project has set up a wonderful bakery with great ice cream, giving a social meeting place for families with children in not just Teleskuf, but the surrounding area as well. The sweet project is very important because there are no similar factories in Teleskuf and its surrounding areas. The shop will be the main source for local people to obtain fresh sweets for their parties and wedding parties, which is such a strong and unifying part of Iraqi culture. Furthermore, and very importantly, it is providing jobs for at least 7 local young people; vulnerable Christian youths with no other source of employment. The Nineveh SEED program is all about providing such livelihoods.” This shop provides a small sense of normalcy to a war-torn area, which was made possible through your generous donations! Through the Nineveh SEED program, we create jobs for the benefit of individuals and their communities, and ultimately encourage people to return home. Providing jobs is so important in helping those who fled for their lives return home and start a new life. Livelihoods are essential to enable people to stay. The transformation from destruction to hope has begun in Teleskuf. However, only half of the population has returned. This is only possible with your support! Through your prayers and your generosity, we can provide jobs to Christian refugees in Nineveh Plain. American FRRME is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes reconciliation, provides relief efforts, advances human rights, and seeks an end to sectarian violence in the Middle East.

Iran is Squeezing Christians and Minorities out of the Middle East, Says Researcher By Keely Jahns Published On June 2, 2022 A researcher with the Philos Project told journalists in February that Iran is squeezing non-Muslims out of the country, and is fighting to do the same in nearby states such as Iraq and Syria. In these neighboring nations, Iran is taking advantage of local political instability to gain a foothold in a war torn region. ​ Senior Research Fellow Dr. Farhad Rezaei, an Iranian Kurd, is a Christian convert who fled Iran and now teaches at York University and resides in Canada. The Philos Project is a nonprofit group that educates and advocates for Christians in the Middle East. ​ Rezaei said, during a February 2022 briefing, that only Sunni Jihadists have contributed to the persecution of Christians in the Middle East is “too simplistic,” and ignores the influence of Iran-backed militias in countries like Iraq. ​ These Iran-backed militias are especially prevalent in Northern Iraq, where the majority of the refugees in our programs are from. This is little-known internationally, as the spotlight has often been on ISIS, and prior to that, Al-Qaeda. However, sources such as Reuters , have shed light on Iranian combat troops believed to have been stationed in Iraq since 2014. ​ A native Iranian, Rezaei noted that since the country’s 1979 revolution, Islamic leaders in Iran have described adherents to minority religions such as Christianity and Judaism as “pollution,” and have taken steps to shrink the size of the Christian and Jewish communities by pushing them out of the country. ​ In Iraq, Rezaei noted, Iran-backed Shiite militias have carried out numerous abductions, killings, and sexual assaults in recent years. They have also seized large areas of land belonging to Christians, especially in the Nineveh Plain. In total, at least 20,000 acres of farmland have been burned, and the militias have carried out at least 75 attacks on places of worship, with at least nine instances of using a church as a military base. ​ Many of these crimes have been solely attributed to Sunni jihadist groups such as the Islamic State, rather than Iran. In Northern Iraq, it’s not widely known that Iranian forces are occupying large areas, with Shiite forces squeezing the native Christians out by seizing property. Just as the Sunni-backed Islamic State, Shiite-backed Iran is competing for control in a politically unstable region. On top of all of this, Turkey is also fighting a proxy war in Northern Iraq, and has bombed several towns on the Nineveh Plain since last year. ​ A region rife with Islamic extremism, Sunni jihadists groups are also still an active scourge on the region. That cannot be understated. Only a few months ago, we reported that jihadist tensions along the Iraq-Syria border were being watched carefully by Iraqi Christians. ​ It was not long ago that ISIS waged war on Christians and Yazidis in the Nineveh Plain, attacking towns, burning churches, forcing conversions and killing families. Most that were able to leave were only able to escape with the clothes on their backs, facing uncertain futures in neighboring nations. Those futures are still uncertain for those who have stayed and those who are now returning. ​ From the February 2022 killing of Abu Ibrahim al Hashimi al-Qurayshi, al-Baghdadi’s successor of head of ISIS, to the Turkish air raids in Kurdistan, to the assault on Ghwayran prison, tensions have been heightened on the Iraqi-Syrian border. As the conflict has escalated, ISIS affiliated militias, who once controlled half of the territories between the two nations, maintain active sleeper cells, ready to strike. ​ The tensions between the two Islamic extremist groups, wrought with layers upon layers of political turmoil, religious difference, and a hatred of anyone deemed “other;” has boiled over and impacted hundreds of thousands of innocents in the Nineveh Plain over the last decade. Regional clashes between different militias, minority groups, and facets of the Iraqi government have also recently displaced over 1,000 Yazidi families on the Nineveh Plain . This is unfortunately not the first time that the Yazidis have been uprooted from their homeland. ​ In a region rife with political turmoil, the Christians, Yazidis, and Shabak of the Nineveh Plain need our help now more than ever before. The refugees who have fled their homelands in search of peaceful and stable futures, from 2014 onward, need programs to help their bodies, minds, and spirits recover from the intense trauma they have experienced. ​ In the wake of the growing refugee crisis around the world, more programs are needed like the ones administered by American FRRME. Unfortunately, refugees are among the world’s most underserved populations. ​ Life is not easy for Iraqi refugees. As adversity grows, programs are needed to protect the most vulnerable of these refugees. American FRRME is committed to long term self-sustaining programs and opportunities to help empower refugees and Internally Displaced Persons. Donations to American FRRME go to programs that will aid in the survival of families facing violence across the Middle East.

Hundreds March on the National Mall in Washington D.C. in Support of the Persecuted Church Worldwide by Keely Jahns September 29, 2022 Last week we explored how digital church culture is thriving amongst the persecuted church in Iraq. We must remember any time that we talk about the church in Iraq and the greater Middle East, that our brothers and sisters in Christ continue to face extreme persecution if they are vocal about their faith. This is the case in Iraq, in places like Syria, and in countries around the world, where Christianity is severely restricted or illegal, and any allegations of proselytizing have severe consequences. This weekend, hundreds of Christians marched on Washington D.C. to raise awareness for the persecuted church worldwide. This year, the march was spearheaded by Iraqi and Syrian Christians living in the US, including the Chaldean Catholic Friar Simon Esshaki. The third-annual March for the Martyrs was held at the National Mall on Saturday and featured live worship and messages from religious leaders. The event also included a 1.2-mile march that started at the National Mall and ended at the Museum of the Bible, where an evening prayer event was held. As reported by The Christian Post , For the Martyrs Founder Gia Chacon, Chaldean Catholic Priest Fr. Simon Esshaki and evangelists Jacob Coyne and Shane Winnings all delivered speeches about how Christians globally are willing to die for their faith. During her speech, Chacon highlighted Chaldean Catholic Priest Ragheed Ganni, who was killed by Islamic terrorists in 2007 after he refused to shut down his church in Iraq. “After a Sunday mass, as he just finished a service and he walked outside, and gunmen said, ‘why didn’t you listen to us?’ And they threatened him and some other deacons,” Chacon explained to those in attendance. “When asked why he did not close the church, Ganni’s last words were, ‘how could I close the house of God?'” She also recounted conversations she’s had with Iraqi and Syrian refugees about the “atrocities that they faced because of their faith.” “Whole villages in a single night, hundreds of thousands of Christians pushed out of their homes and killed in front of their families,” Chacon said. “ISIS or Islamist militants would come into their homes and charge them with the question, ‘Are you a Christian?’ And if they said yes, it ultimately meant death or being pushed out of their home,” she continued. “And these brave Christians, in the middle of the night, when they knew that ISIS was coming, when they knew that ultimately, they would be met with either death or torture, did they back down? Did they say, ‘well, if they come to our door, then the easier thing will just be to convert?'” Chacon said that she is thankful that these Christians chose not to “say outwardly that we don’t believe in Jesus, that we’ll convert and maybe we can live in here in safety.” Instead of renouncing their faith and staying in their homes, the Christians fled in the middle of the night. “They fled because having Jesus to them meant having everything, and even if they lost everything, their family, their brothers and sisters, their moms and dads … if they could keep Jesus, that was more than enough for them, so they fled.” According to the March of the Martyrs website , the group is self-described “as a diverse movement— consisting of Christians of all ages, from all backgrounds, and from all over the United States who have come together as one voice for the persecuted Church.” “We are on a mission to bring Christian Persecution to the forefront of the fight for Human Rights,” the group added. “Our message is clear: Christian Persecution will no longer be ignored, persecuted believers are not forgotten, and Jesus Christ still has the victory.” American Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East (American FRRME) is a U.S.-based Christian charity that aims to bring hope, help and healing in the Middle East, assisting Iraqi Christian refugees and other religious minorities.American FRRME works to support the ongoing needs of Iraqis – primarily Christian Iraqis – who fled Iraq and Kurdistan during the ISIS insurgency in 2014. The organization supports those displaced within Iraq many of whom remain living in Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps in Baghdad and northern Iraq, as well as supporting those who fled to neighboring Jordan.

The Number of Refugees Has Doubled in the Past Decade By Alice Seeley Published On June 20, 2020 Nearly 80 million people worldwide qualify as refugees, asylum seekers, or internally displaced. This number rose by 9 million from a year earlier. It is close to double the 41 million recorded in 2010, despite Covid-19 restrictions slowing down movement. Of the 79.5 million displaced people globally, 26 million are refugees, 4.2 million are asylum seekers, and 45.7 million are IDPs. This amounts to one percent of the world’s total population. ​ Around half of the 79.5 million are children. They are very often not given access to education and are often exposed to violence and exploitation at a young age. ​ The Middle East has been the center of this humanitarian crisis and remains so. Seven in 10 of those displaced came from Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Venezuela, and Myanmar. Turkey hosts the largest number of refugees— 3.9 million people, mostly from Syria, where the civil war has entered its tenth year. 73 percent of refugees seek asylum in a neighboring country, thus involving countries in the Middle East as sources of refugees and asylums. ​ The American Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East provides humanitarian assistance, health care, and education to those who have fled persecution and genocide, including Christians, Yazidis, Shabak, and others throughout the Middle East. This is made possible through your generous donations. ​ American FRRME is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that promotes reconciliation, provides relief efforts, advances human rights, and seeks an end to sectarian violence in the Middle East. ​ To make a donation to American FRRME, please visit NETWORK FOR GOOD .

NEWS 1 - - 2 - - 3 - - 4 - - 5 - - 6 Iraqi Christians Remember “The Black Day” Published August 7, 2023 American FRRME Chairman, Col. Max Wood joined Adam McManus on “The World View in 5 Minutes” to speak about the ninth anniversary of “The Black Day” - the day when Iraqi Christians were forced from their homeland by the ISIS insurgency and the significance of this solemn anniversary. AFRRME Updates 2003 – 2023 The Challenges Facing Iraqi Christians Finding a Way Forward Published May 2023 The past twenty years have been a transformative time for Iraq’s Christian community, who have watched their population decline due to violence, marginalization, and other types of persecution from extremist groups such as Dae’sh, also known as ISIS. Despite these challenges, many Iraqi Christians have a strong love towards their country. AFRRME Updates Hundreds March on the National Mall in Washington D.C. in Support of the Persecuted Church Worldwide By Keely Jahns Published On September 29, 2022 Adapted from an article by Christian Headlines Last week we explored how digital church culture is thriving amongst the persecuted church in Iraq. We must remember any time that we talk about the church in Iraq and the greater Middle… AFRRME Updates Iraqi Christians Build Thriving Digital Discipleship Culture By Keely Jahns Published On September 23, 2022 Mission Network News recently covered a story about the growing culture of “digital church” within Iraq. Iraq is home to an ancient community of Christians, and within that community there are Christians of every background and denomination. Having been deeply… ​ AFRRME Updates New Patriarchate of the Assyrian Church of the East Opens its Doors in Erbil By Keely Jahns Published On September 16, 2022 The Assyrian Church of the East recently opened its new Patriarchate in Erbil, the capital city of the Iraqi Kurdistan region. The inauguration ceremony was attended by area officials, including governmental officials, community leaders, local religious leaders and those with… ​ AFRRME Updates A Prayer of Blessing at The Olive Tree Center By American FRRME Staff Published On September 8, 2022 On August 6, 2022, the Iraqi refugee community gathered together at The Olive Tree Center to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the 2014 ISIS insurgency in Iraq. They gathered to sing, pray, and remember the day that changed their lives… ​ ​ AFRRME Updates Inter-Organizational Cooperation Aims to Bring Clean Water to Sinjar By Keely Jahns Published On September 1, 2022 Interorganizational Cooperation Aims to Bring Clean Water to Sinjar Like the Christian communities of Northern Iraq, when the ISIS insurgents swept across the Nineveh Plain in 2014, over 400,000 Yazidis were also displaced. This year, fighting has displaced thousands more.… ​ AFRRME Updates Displays of Hope, Help, and Healing from the August 6th Remembrance Event at the Olive Tree Center By Keely Jahns Published On August 25, 2022 Hope, Help, and Healing On August 6th, 2022, the American Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation (American FRRME) hosted a remembrance event with the Iraqi Christian community at the Olive Tree Center in Madaba, Jordan, to commemorate the eighth anniversary of… AFRRME Updates “Stunning Archaeological Findings” Discovered at the Church of Saint Thomas in Mosul, Shedding New Light on the First Century Church in Iraq By Keely Jahns Published On August 18, 2022 Adapted from a story at All Arab News Christianity has been indigenous to Iraq for thousands of years. Many of the first Christians hailed from the region which is now Iraq, particularly the Nineveh Plain. The Nineveh Plain was one… AFRRME Updates August 6th Event at Olive Tree Center Garners Worldwide Media Attention for Iraqi Refugees By Keely Jahns Published On August 11, 2022 On August 6th, 2022, Iraqi refugees and friends of the community gathered at the Olive Tree Center in Madaba, Jordan to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the ISIS invasion of the Nineveh Plain. ​ ​ AFRRME Updates Iraqi Christian Refugees to Gather at Olive Tree Center to Observe “The Black Day” By Keely Jahns Published On August 4, 2022 On August 6th, 2022, refugees and displaced persons from the Nineveh Plain will be observing the eight-year anniversary of the 2014 ISIS insurgency. This is known by Iraqi Christians as “The Black Day.” It is a solemn observance of remembrance… ​ AFRRME Updates American FRRME Chairman Discusses Ongoing Persecution of Iraqi Christians By American FRRME Staff Published On July 29, 2022 American FRRME Chairman, Col. Max Wood joined American Sunrise with Ed Henry and Karyn Turk, on Real America’s Voice, to talk about the ongoing persecution of Iraqi Christians. Watch here: ​ AFRRME Updates “Boxing Sister,” Program Helps Internally Displaced Women Kickbox Their Way to Healing By Keely Jahns Published On July 28, 2022 Adapted from a story by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. A boxing project implemented by an NGO Innovation Award winner is empowering displaced Yazidi women and girls in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The “Boxing Sister” program helps displaced… AFRRME Updates National Leaders Show Bipartisan Support for Persecuted Church in DC Summit By Keely Jahns Published On July 21, 2022 In June 2022, the plight of the persecuted church was highlighted during the second annual Summit on International Religious Freedom (IRF) in Washington, D.C. The conference saw bipartisan support by leaders from both sides of the aisle, as well as… AFRRME Updates 1 - - 2 - - 3 - - 4 - - 5 - - 6

There’s Nothing Here... We can’t find the page you’re looking for. Check the URL, or head back home. Go Home

There’s Nothing Here... We can’t find the page you’re looking for. Check the URL, or head back home. Go Home

There’s Nothing Here... We can’t find the page you’re looking for. Check the URL, or head back home. Go Home