families despite ongoing suicide bombings which killed at least seven people and injured 16 in the Iraqi capital Tuesday, May 10, church sources said. The Adventist Press Service (ADP) said families living in some of Baghdad’s most deprived areas were "intrigued" when they heard that hundreds of packages were being handed out in various churches the week before Easter.
Churches received the humanitarian aid from the Bible Society in Lebanon (BSL), in co-operation with Christian humanitarian agencies, the ADP reported. "The joy was apparent in the eyes of adults as well as children," reportedly said the Society’s team leader in Iraq, Nabil Omeish.
In addition the BSL helps churches with other distribution projects and programs with what it calls "sensible measures taken to avoid unnecessary risk in the uncertain situation in the country." Iraqi Christians hope that, one day, an autonomous and independent Iraqi Bible Society will be established to decrease reliance on foreign organizations, the ADP said.
STORAGE FACILITIES
In a statement, BSL’s General Secretary Lucien , said storage facilities in Baghdad were made available in the compound of the National Evangelical Church.
Churches believe their involvement in the distribution projects sent a clear message to the local community about "Christian compassion" and unity. "We are so happy to…distribute these much-needed food items and Bes. It says so much about our ministry as members of the body of Christ," the ADP quoted one unidentified church official as saying.
The Bible Society hopes to achieve the most effective distribution of the Bible in a language which can easily be understood and is "faithful" to the original text, at an "affordable price" and in a format people will appreciate.
"HUNGER FOR CHRIST"
Iraqi church officials have told BosNewsLife there is "a hunger for Christ" in the mainly Muslim country of about 25 million people. Many of the estimated 750,000 Christians in Iraq often risk their lives to visit packed churches amid ongoing violence, a BosNewsLife reporter established in Baghdad. Church leaders are concerned that the new Iraqi Cabinet, which was sworn in Monday, May 9, may not be able to ease tensions in the country, which include suicide bombings, which killed dozens of people in recent days, and specific attacks against Christians.
Mgr Rabban al-Qas, Bishop of Amadiyah (northern Iraq) told the Catholic oriented news website AsiaNews that the new government seems to give "excessive importance" to religion and ethnicity, "on being Shiite, Sunni, Kurdish, Christian, Turcoman." He said "these divisions did not exist" in the past. "To me, there is something wrong in this because we must consider the whole country, not only ones own group or religion."
An unstable government will also make it more difficult for the US-led forces to withdraw, as insurgents continue to exploit the fragile democracy of Iraq, Christians and others suggest. The US military suggested Monday, May 9, however it had made some "progress" in combating militants. US forces killed "at least 100 insurgents" since their operation began near the Syrian border Saturday, May 7, the Voice of America (VOA) and other news reports quoted the military as saying. (With Stefan J. Bos, BosNewsLife Research and reports from Iraq)
