When Ruba* first accepted Christ into her life while living in Syria, her life was under threat from a terrorist group along with her family. They quickly fled to start a new life in Iraq, but at first they had nothing.
However thanks to support from Christian ministry Help The Persecuted and their enduring livelihood initiative she is thriving with her home business selling cosmetics and personal care items.
Source: www.htp.org
*Name changed and faces blurred for security reasons.
STRICT EMBARGO: This report cannot be broadcast in the Middle East or the Islamic World.
SCRIPT:
Not long after Ruba gave her life to Christ while living in Syria, a terrorist group threatened her family with death or enslavement, forcing them to flee with only the clothes they had on and their passports.
She eventually was able to start a new life with her husband and four children in Iraq. But when they first arrived they had nothing including no source of income.
But all that changed when Help The Persecuted stepped in to help her start her home business selling cosmetics and personal care items. She says it’s become a wonderful way for her whole family to be involved:
My husband will help me with this project. He knows the dialects here and can drive to distribute products. My daughters will work nails and make up. I bought the needed equipment for that. They always support us
Ruba shares her extreme gratitude for this opportunity to provide for her family:
I am so thankful for you and your support. You allowed me to support my family.
She says through all the challenges they’ve faced the most important thing is to have the love of Christ in their lives:
I found love and humility in Him. Jesus transformed in entirely. He was so humble with people. He taught us how to love one another. And He knew us from the inside first
Help the Persecuted has now started more than 300 family businesses in 13 Islamic countries directly benefiting more than 1700 people like Ruba. This enables them to break the cycle of poverty and dependency converts to Christianity often face and as part of the ongoing aim of Help The Persecuted to rescue, restore and rebuild the lives of those facing persecution for their faith.
Peter Wooding reporting for the Global News Alliance.