by K. V. Turley

A young boy, 10 years old or so, faces the camera.

Like many young boys he is happy to be interviewed.

This is war-torn Iraq, however, so he tells of the day ISIS came to his village. What took place, horror after horror, he starts to recount. It is hard to accept that one so young has already seen so much evil. Gradually, his urgent retelling of what happened slows and he breaks down. It is hard to watch as the tears flow down his cheeks. He tries to stem them, brushing them away … but to no avail. His grief is too great. He is now talking to himself as much as to the camera. He talks of when he used to go to school, ride his bicycle and play soccer with his friends - the normal things of a once happy childhood. He stops. Again, he looks at the camera, finishing with the lament of someone much older and the words: Now all that is gone…

This is just one of the harrowing testimonies in a new documentary: Our Last Stand. The film tells of what is left of the ancient Christian communities in Iraq and Syria. They are a people who have been systematically attacked, then murdered, raped and displaced. The plague that is ISIS, along with other Islamic extremists, seem to take a sadistic delight in destroying the lives, the lands and the livelihoods of Christians who have only sought to live in peace with their more numerous Muslim neighbors. In this latest genocide, no one came to the aid of the Christians. They looked to the West, but to no avail.

In Our Last Stand, we initially meet these displaced Christian peoples in refugee camps in Iraq. The first camp is where the young boy mentioned above now lives. It is a desolate place. This is not surprising as its inhabitants are still dazed from having had their lives destroyed before their eyes. The second such camp presented is different. It is in Erbil and run by a priest, Father Douglas Bazi. Somehow, despite the desperate circumstances, he has an abundance of energy and fortitude. When a flood of frightened refugees descended upon his parish, he set to work. With some help from Catholic aid agencies, he has created an impressive reception centre. Here these people are not simply fed and given shelter. From the start, he recognized, sagely, that they would need something else besides: hope. He created a school, and a daily timetable for all the children. Placing education at the center of his people's lives has proved a master stoke. It points to a future just at a time when ISIS and its ilk are trying to consign these Eastern Rite Christians to history.

Whatever these people have lost, and it is a great deal, not just loved ones but most of their worldly possessions too, they have held to one thing: their Christian faith.

The film crew visit the villages of the Khabour region. This was home to Christian communities for centuries - a vibrant place of many villages, at their center was often a Christian church. In 2015, ISIS attacked. Their modus operandi was to behead the men and then enslave the women and children. Today, these places are deserted after ISIS withdrew having abducted all the townsfolk not murdered. Nevertheless, Our Last Stand film crew ventured there. What they found were ghost villages. They also found them uninhabitable on account of ISIS leaving mines and booby traps everywhere. They came across a once beautiful church in ruins. There is evidence of desecration with Christian iconography strewn around, broken and smashed; Islamic propaganda was sprayed upon the church's walls. Even just seeing this on film, one senses a form of savage fury reserved for this place of worship, a place that once held the Body and Blood of Christ.

The documentary crosses the border into Syria. Sadly, ISIS is here too. In fact, the film crew now move ever closer to the land occupied by that terror group and the war they propagate. Here we meet the last line of defense for the few Christian villages still standing there. Those left tell of how no one came to help the Christians as they were attacked across the Nineveh plain. The few young men left have banded together and formed their own militia. We watch them train. We listen to them speak of why they fight, and why they are prepared to die defending their villages. As one of the fighters says: "We will not desert our villages - we have nowhere else to go."

An MFS (Syriac Military Council) soldier on the frontline in Hassake, Syria, looking for ISIS militants hiding in homes only 700 meters away.

The first thing one notices about these men is how young they are. The vast majority are not yet 30 years old. The second thing is how few of them there are. Against the terrifying fanaticism of a well-organized military force such as ISIS, they are barely 1000 men. Nevertheless, the militia stand ready to fight an army that masses not more than a kilometer away. When the shelling starts, the camera crew accompanies the militia in their defense. We are taken up into their bullet-riddled lookout posts. From there they return fire as, in the near distance, through plumes of smoke, the fluttering black flag of ISIS draws ever nearer…

By the end of the film we learn that many of those militia seen on camera are now dead. Killed trying to defend their Christian wives and children as all the while the once Christian West continued to look the other way.

Here is a documentary trying to report on what is really happening to the Christian peoples of the Middle East. It fails. It fails only because the magnitude of the task is too great. Nevertheless, the filmmakers, Jordan Allott and Helma Adde, are to be commended for having begun the reporting of a genocide that is happening today, now, as you read this.

The filmmakers have, furthermore, to be applauded for two things. The first is that they have started to document what is happening not through the prism of the Western secular media, with its own agenda, but from a faith perspective. It is hoped that this will prompt a series of such films; for that, they will need funds.

The second thing the filmmakers are to be commended for is their bravery. To stand filming less than half a mile from an ISIS advance takes courage, specially given the retribution such a group would exact upon the camera crew and female journalist if captured. Yet, the film crew did stand and film. They must continue to do so in order to document what is taking place - if not them, then who?

This film will provoke many emotions in the viewer: tears at the plight of Christians in Syria and Iraq; anger at the barbarism of ISIS and their fellow travelers; dismay at the West's lack of willingness to act; admiration for the bravery of the Christian militia willing to defend their families to the death no matter how large the advancing army arraigned against them; but, most of all, a deep sympathy at how much all those caught on camera have suffered, and suffer still, for the crime of sharing our Christian faith.

At our own indifference and inaction, we should all hang our heads in shame.

Our Last Stand- http://ourlaststandfilm.com/

BY Paull E. Spring

"Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." What a marvelous promise God gives us in these words from the book of Revelation. God promises us the crown of life as his gift to us.

But God also calls us to faithfulness and loyalty, even to the point of death. In my mind I think of all the heroes and heroines of the faith down through the ages who gave up their lives because of their Christian convictions. Peter and Paul and all the apostles. James of Jerusalem, Polycarp and Lawrence and countless others who suffered martyrdom because they believed in Christ.

In more recent times I think of Roman Catholic Archbishop Oscar Romero of Central America and Dietrich Bonnhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor and theologian in Germany. Both of these Christians gave up their lives in the face of persecution by the state, because they believed in Christ.

Indeed, I think of all those today who remain faithful to Christ and who are "persecuted for righteousness' sake." There are countless Christians in our lifetime who are suffering under persecution, many of them faithful unto death. It has been said that there is more persecution of Christians in the past two centuries than ever before in the history of the church. In the words of the of book of Hebrews, "We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses."

At the same time I think of so many others who — while they do not suffer death — endure severe privation because of their faith. There are the many faithful witnesses who, out of their devotion to Christ, experience isolation and hostility from others. They remain quietly faithful to Christ in spite of personal abuse and scorn. Nevertheless, quietly and faithfully they maintain their faith as part of their daily lives.

I know many Christians like that, and I am sure that you do too. It is our calling, and our challenge, to be faithful in all we do to the One who has redeemed us and given us life.

For that is what Jesus promises to us and to all who follow him. He promises us the "crown of life," fullness of life and newness of life. "I am the way, the truth and the life," said Jesus.

It is this life that Jesus has given to us. Not just physical life, but spiritual life, life in the Spirit. He promises to forgive us. He promises to open the future to us. He promises eternal life for us in the future, overcoming even the powers of death for us.

But he also crowns our days with life now, in the present. He forgives our sins and crowns us with his grace and mercy. He gives us hope and joy, peace and security in him. In the midst of our daily lives, he promises to be with us as our comfort and support. As we struggle to be his faithful people today, he assures is that he is by our side at all times.

And always before us is the crucified Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. We hear him today as he calls out to us, "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life."

About The Author:

Paull E. Spring is the pastor at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in State College, PA.

by Cortni Marrazzo

The Bible is full of wisdom and truth, but do you ever come across a verse that is frankly, a bit hard to embrace? Like Romans 5:3, "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance…" When we are suffering, typically the last thing we want to do is rejoice and we often wonder if it's even possible to do! Even though there are some things in the Bible that seem impossible, we are reminded in the very same book that with God, ALL things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

I personally love the fact that all things are possible with God, but sometimes am not too fond of the fact that nowhere in the Bible does it say things will be easy. Let's face it, when you are suffering, not much seems to come easy. I've recently been struggling with a bit of suffering in my life and I took some time to seek God about what I can learn from this season and how I can grow through it. Whether you are going through physical or emotional suffering, these can apply to you too.

When You Are Suffering, You Become More Aware of God's Strength in Your Life

At the time of writing this, I'm currently dealing with all day sickness, every day for weeks. Thankfully I haven't been diagnosed with a life threatening disease - I'm pregnant and have a severe case of morning sickness. I've been nauseous, often unable to hold food down for more than a month now and this will likely be the case for another few weeks. When I feel sick and run down every day, it really has a tendency to zap my strength, especially when I'm trying to fulfill other responsibilities in my life at the same time.

I noticed that during this time, I've felt my weakest. There is honestly no way I could get out of bed every day without the power of God's strength working in me. I'm typically a person who is strong for others and who can push my way past whatever is going on in my life, but often that is done in my own strength. This season of suffering has left me without my own strength to act in, and I am much more aware of the strength of God in my life. It is very humbling.

Paul knew this feeling too. "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10). Paul realized that when he was so physically weak that he could barely stand to be alive, that is when God's strength rose up the most in him. He knew that God's strength in us is so much more powerful than our own human strength, therefore he learned to be content in his weakness of suffering! I'm still working on the contentment here, but I can feel that God is bringing me closer.

When You Are Suffering, Your Trust in God and Your Faith Increases

When you are at the end of yourself, you learn to trust God more because frankly, what else are you going to do? You're at the end of you, and that's where you find that God is so faithful in your life and with his promises. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5). I love the second part of this verse about not depending on our own understanding because the majority of the time, we don't understand why we are suffering. We can ask God "why?" all day long, but he's not obligated to answer us because he is building our trust in him. So instead of leaning on our own understanding and demanding to know why, we are simply to trust him to teach us and help us grow through whatever situation we may be facing.

I personally have also learned to stop depending on my own achievements, because I haven't been achieving much lately! I'm normally great at doing lots of things, checking off my to-do list and then finding value in everything I've accomplished that day/week/month. Lately however, my to-do list has consisted more of making it through the day and not much else. I've learned to remember my worth is in God, not in what I do or what people think of me. When you are zapped of energy from suffering, you stop putting on a mask to pretend to be someone you are not because you simply can't anymore. As a result, you are the real you, and that is what God can work best with!

When You Are Suffering, God Can Give You a New and Refreshed Perspective

If you take the time to listen and seek God while you are going through your trial, he can show you a lot! I know this is hard to do because often the last thing you want to do is go to God when you feel so low. I'll admit, it was hard for me to do, but once I started praying about what I was going through and how I could grow through it, God showed me everything I'm writing right here!

He reminded me what is really important in life and that is him, my family and the people in my life. Money and things can seem so important sometimes, but in the midst of suffering, they just don't seem as important anymore, because they aren't. Your family and those around you, and most importantly your relationship with God are what is really most important in your life. "'Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?' Jesus replied, ‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Matthew 22:36-39). In the end, it is all about God and people.

During your most difficult trying times, you will also often learn just how amazing the people in your life truly are. If you are often a person who tries to help and support others (like I am) it can be especially difficult to ask for and accept help when you need it. Just as you are blessed when you help others, there comes a time for others to be blessed by helping you! When I was feeling especially sick and stressed for a few weeks, I had multiple friends step in and bring us meals for dinners so I didn't have to worry about cooking for my family and so my husband could come home from work and spend quality time with our son. Even though it was hard to ask for and accept help, it was a huge blessing for my family and it really reminded me of the wonderful people God has brought into my life!

A season of suffering isn't the most fun or the easiest to go through, but I believe we truly can rejoice if we keep focused on the right things. It can be difficult to do, but perhaps writing them down and posting them somewhere where you will see them daily will help. Or putting a note in your phone or even just praying every day that God reminds you of the things you can really rejoice about in this season. Most importantly, remember that it is a season. You won't be suffering forever. It will be over eventually and you will look back and think about how much you've grown closer to God, what a more stable and mature person you are and you will see how it really was possible to rejoice through it.

About The Author:

Cortni Marrazzo currently resides in Spokane, Washington with her husband Jason and 3 year old son. She has a Degree in Biblical Discipleship and has a passion for ministry and encouraging the body of Christ. She and her husband currently serve as small group directors at their local church.