February 2024 Persecution Magazine
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statements such as the need of “purging<br />
Nagorno-Karabakh of the ‘Armenian<br />
virus.’” In both past wars as well as the<br />
2023 conflict, there is documentation<br />
of Azerbaijani forces destroying and<br />
desecrating Armenian churches in<br />
territories seized, and efforts to change<br />
the historical narrative of the millennia<br />
of Christian heritage in Artsakh.<br />
When ICC has asked the Armenian<br />
Christians refugees how the outside<br />
world can both help and pray for them,<br />
they shared that they want prayer to<br />
continue defending their faith, their<br />
land, and their Christian Armenian<br />
heritage. Many Armenian Christians hold<br />
with deep sense of pride and honor with<br />
their identity as the world’s first Christian<br />
nation.<br />
It is indeed inspiring to see their zeal to<br />
defend, cling to, and persevere their faith<br />
and pass it on to the next generation<br />
even amid massive oppression to their<br />
faith.<br />
For many of the refugees during this<br />
time of seeming defeat and suffering,<br />
however, there are those that are<br />
considering what that Christian identity<br />
really means. In their trauma and<br />
suffering, it is paramount that these<br />
refugees be reminded and encouraged<br />
in the Christian’s true identity in Jesus<br />
Christ, even in the loss of their Christian<br />
homeland.<br />
ICC is coming alongside these refugees<br />
to help them through their trauma, meet<br />
their daily needs, and to build sustainable<br />
income generating opportunities for<br />
families to begin a new life in Armenia.<br />
For some of the families, we have served<br />
and encouraged, it was the first time<br />
they had prayed in months since the<br />
tragedy. For others, it gave a renewed<br />
sense of light in their darkness of missing<br />
loved ones.<br />
And for all, they were blessed in their<br />
deep faith of God’s presence with<br />
them through the care and kindness of<br />
global Christians sharing some of their<br />
resources to assist them in this time of<br />
crisis.<br />
14<br />
<strong>Persecution</strong> | FEBRUARY <strong>2024</strong>