10/18/2024 Middle East (International Christian Concern) – Since his childhood, Issa has devoted his life to Christ and to his church. Today, he is married and a father of a 5-year-old with another child on the way. His life is anchored in faith and family. However, he has faced numerous challenges and relentless turmoil living in a Middle Eastern country.
One day, a group of men approached Issa and started insulting him. The men then beat Issa and stole his month’s wages that he had on him. They told Issa he didn’t deserve the money because he was a Christian.
Another time, as Issa made his way to church, someone tried to shoot and kill him. By God’s grace, Issa survived. Another day, a group of armed men stopped a taxi Issa was in. They killed the driver and assaulted Issa, leaving him shaken but alive.
This string of attacks forced Issa and his family to flee. They stayed in a rural village for years. Eventually, Issa felt it was safe to return. He moved back and searched for work. He dreamed of a better future, one that might take him and his family to a new country, far from the previous dangers they had faced.
To fund their escape, Issa sold his wife’s gold and gathered more with the help of his mother. Together, they amassed $7,000. But their hopes were shattered when war profiteers swindled them, leaving them with nothing.
“After being scammed, I started looking for any source of income because I have a family, and God will certainly not leave me,” Issa said.
Today, Issa has a new dream: to open a dairy store. The area his family now lives in lacks a proper dairy store. Issa sees this as an opportunity to serve his community while supporting his family. However, frequent power outages pose a significant challenge, as constant electricity is crucial for preserving dairy products.
ICC helped Issa with the funds to make his dreams a reality, providing him with a refrigerator and solar power supplies.
“With the presence of solar energy, this will enable me to preserve the dairy from any damage during power outages,” Issa said. “This will lead to the success and development of the store. Please pray for me and my newborn baby and wife’s health. I wish to provide for all my family’s needs.”
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