By Bill Petzold
Editor
THUMB AREA — Ever wonder what life is like for the persecuted Christian minority living in Iraq?
Here’s your chance to hear from someone who survived it personally.
Thumb Area Presbyterian congregations are excited to host Fady Amin, a Christian refugee who fled to the United States with his family to escape the often violent persecution of Christians taking place in his home country of Iraq.
Pastor Doug Abel of Vassar First Presbyterian Church said that Amin will speak during the 10 a.m. worship service Sunday, November 2, in lieu of the sermon. A presentation and question and answer session will follow after worship about 11:30 a.m.
On Monday, November 3, Amin also is scheduled to speak at the Vassar church, 250 W. Huron Ave, at 7 p.m. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend to hear Amin’s testimony.
Abel said that Amin’s visit would be part of a three week visit, and referred the Advertiser to Pastor Ken Hetzel of Croswell Presbyterian Church in Croswell. Hetzel said that Aminwill travel the Thumb speaking to churches and schools about his experiences.
Attacks and threats against Christians increased in 2013 as Islamic terrorist groups, influenced by the conflict in Syria, are increasing in number. According to worldwatchlist.us, one of the aims of these Islamist groups “is to empty the country of Christians, and this situation is aggravated by the government’s total authority. According to a local source, every two or three days a Christian is killed, kidnapped or abused. As a minority, Christians are an easy target for kidnappers.”
Amin, who turns 37 on November 1, is single and lives with his mother and two brothers and their families in California. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Baghdad. He is a Syriac Catholic, although he is not representing that church in any official capacity. He is simply sharing his story through the Mission to the USA program.
Hetzel said that Amin will arrive in Croswell on October 18 and speak there on October 19. He will visit Harbor Beach on October 21, Cass City on October 22 and return to Croswell on October 23. He will be in Marlette on October 24, in Sandusky and Yale on October 26 and 27, in Marlette again on October 28th, and will speak at Caro’s First Presbyterian Church on October 30.
Hetzel provided a copy of an application that Amin completed explaining his desire in becoming involved with Mission to the USA.
“I will transfer my experience, my faith and my culture and transfer the real picture of Iraq and the Middle East, especially what happened two months ago,” Amin wrote, referring to the situation in Mosul when Muslim extremists who had captured the city offered Christians there the options of converting to Islam, fleeing for their lives or dying for their faith.
“According to my experience, the media didn’t transfer the reality about the situation in our country because this issue is the first topic for the U.S. people. I will transfer a presentation about Christianity in Iraq and the Christians living there, and how they deal with issues like terrorism and violence and non-freedom.”
Amin writes that he was involved in youth ministry in Iraq before he fled to the United States.
“Due to the persecution (of) Christians in Iraq, I insist to do this ministry and I believe that we have a message and we have to carry on. I believe that the youth (are) the church’s future; this is why I spent more time in youth ministry. … After I moved to the U.S., I am working to reach our voice to all the people here in U.S. (and at the same time) working with Iraqi refugee youth here in the U.S.”
Amin writes that like he and his loved ones, more and more Iraqi Christians have been forced to flee their homes.
“After what happened to our brothers and sisters in God there, especially in Mosul, we have more 100,000 IDPs (internally displaced persons, meaning people who have been forced to flee their homes) Iraqi Christians,” Amin wrote. “The terrorists target the Christians there, and what happened is close to a genocide of the Iraqi Christians and other minorities in Iraq.”
For information about hearing Amin speak, contact Pastor Ken Hetzel at Croswell First Presbyterian at (810) 679-3352, Pastor Doug Abel at Vassar First Presbyterian at (989) 823-7671, or contact the Presbyterian churches in the towns listed above on Amin’s itinerary.
Bill Petzold is the editor of the Tuscola County Advertiser. He can be reached at petzold@tcadvertiser.com.