School in Iraq (Partners International).
Charles, who works with Partners International in northern Iraq, says this will have a negative impact on the Iraqi people. "The chaos in Iraq, especially in the southern and central area of Baghdad, is going to intensify. What that will mean for us primarily is more refugees, especially Christians. In the uncertainty of the situation (they'll) feel like it's time for them and their families to get out."
That will mean more people heading to Northern Iraq, Jordan and Syria to get away.
In the meantime, God has opened a door for evangelism in the region that's nothing short of amazing, says Charles. "Partners International has helped start three schools, working with our partner ministry, who are now enrolling children in a Christian curriculum and actually from a very young age (they're) learning about Jesus. 95-percent [of them are] from a Muslim/Kurdish background."
Not everything is good news. Charles says, "Kurdish Christians are not being allowed to change their religious identity, which is marked in their passport and all their official documents. Even children of a pastor can not have his children listed as Christian."
While they do have unique freedoms, there is a new wind blowing. "There is an Islamic movement that doesn't like the freedom that the present administration has given the Christians. So, we need to continue praying for our brothers and sisters."
Currently Partners is helping build a school, but the work isn't done yet. "We have a need of $200,000 for the completion of this school. And the neat thing is that [most of these projects] have been self sustaining."
Prayer and financial support is also needed for theological training. "We have many, many new Christians in Northern Iraq. We're excited about working with the Jordanian seminary, which has an extension up there. And, that extension is going to provide the leadership for the Iraqi church, I believe, in the coming years."
