The Conflict in Iraq
*Update*
We are thrilled to be able to say that Dr. Thomas made it home safely without any issues or incidents. Although his intention was initially to perform surgery and provide training for Iraqi doctors, he spent most of his time learning more about the situation in Iraq as well as praying and believing with survivors of ISIS attacks.
"I would hear stories like 'Well they beheaded my 3 year old son, and put him on a stake and said 'this is what is going to happen if you don't convert to Islam,''" Dr. Thomas said.
Dr. Thomas said through the bad times, he was able to sit and pray with many of the refugees and was inspired by their ability to keep the faith.
"I saw people's faith," Dr. Thomas said. "And a lot of Christians were displaced and I don't know, when I sit here today, to tell you that I have their faith. I saw thousands of people who forsake everything they ever had just because they did not want to deny Jesus Christ."
Dr. Thomas said he would like to see the U.S. and other developed nations answer the call of those thousands of refugees and stop ISIS before their evil can spread.
"We have to fight evil," Dr. Thomas said. "Because if not, that evil is going to come here. The shores will be attacked by these evil people, because they are bent on death, because when they love death so much then there is nothing to be afraid of."
Thank you all for keeping Dr. Thomas in your prayers.
Meredith Hillgartner from KLBK here in lubbock was kind enough to discuss the trip with Dr. Thomas on camera. The interview can be seen below.
Our Founder, Dr. John Thomas will be making his 15th trip to Erbil, Iraq, this coming Monday 08/18/14. Once again, he plans on training local doctors in new ways to treat patients as well as personally treating them himself. In addition to treating patients who sometimes travel 100+ miles by foot, Dr. Thomas will also be assisting local doctors with the "Tele-medicine" program setup during his previous visit to Iraq. There are hundreds of thousands of refugees in Northern Iraq and the surrounding areas. With the this new technology, nurses and even non-medical workers can help provide treatment for the sick in remote areas such as these refugee camps by connecting patients to doctors here in the US and around the world. It is a ground breaking technology to be sure, and was invented for situations just like the one currently happening in Iraq.
Islamic terrorist group, ISIS, took over much of the nation earlier this month, and has been responsible for killing hundreds of men, women and children, simply because they profess Christ as their Lord. "Under the ISIS control, Christians have very few options. They can convert, pay a fine or die. That is why most of them have decided to flee the country," said Dr. Thomas. "Anything that is contradicting them, they want to erase it. Where I am going we will mainly be taking care of Christians who have been there for two thousand years, living in the same place; now they are being rooted up from their homeland."
Although there is certainly a risk involved in traveling to the Iraq at this time, Dr. Thomas has committed that as long as the airports are open he will be there to help the people of the Middle East. "I think at the end of the day we are all God's children, and it is our job to do the right thing," Dr. Thomas said. "I'm not forced to go there, I am not coerced to go there. It's not a paid trip, but we go there because we believe that it is our duty to be the beacon of light."
In addition to the medical mission that Dr. Thomas always takes part in there in Iraq, he will be meeting with government and UN officials to help provide another perspective on the conflict and hopefully be an aid in developing some sort of plan to provide peaceful resolution.
Please keep Dr. Thomas in your prayers as he makes this journey. We are confident that his work will be efficient and effective and that the love of Christ will be shown through his actions.