February 2024 Persecution Magazine

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