Threat level down; Iraq food distribution resumed Oct. 7

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)—Southern Baptist ministry projects in Iraq resumed Oct. 7 after a five-week delay caused by concerns for the safety of humanitarian workers in the country.

Small-scale delivery of food boxes packed by Southern Baptist churches has been going on, however, and a Southern Baptist worker in the region reports God is using the effort in remarkable ways to help Iraqis understand how much He loves them.

The arrival of Southern Baptist volunteer teams was delayed after information was received that a remnant of Saddam Hussein loyalists in the country were intentionally targeting humanitarian workers for attacks.

Ministry leaders now believe risks can be minimized by exercising the right kind of precautions.

“The threat level has decreased,” one worker said. “We are hearing very positive things about foreigners from local people.”

The boxes of food packed by Southern Baptist churches in late spring began arriving in the country Aug. 21. Volunteers who had planned to begin distributing the 46,000 boxes in late August were rerouted to Jordan to deliver food and supplies to Iraqi and other refugees living there. Small teams of Southern Baptist workers and Arab Baptist partners have been distributing food in Iraq itself.

One worker reported that Iraqis in central Iraq asked for New Testaments, which Arabs know as the “Injil.” When the worker returned with Bibles, people standing in line for food actually left the queue to get a Bible.

“We’re asking Christians everywhere to pray that God will reveal Himself to Iraqis and help them see that Jesus is, as the Quran says, the long-promised Messiah.”