In 2018, Angela felt God’s calling to sell her home and give a large portion to ministry work. She didn’t know what God was doing, but she knew she could trust Him.
Angela had been a faithful supporter of many ministries, including Help The Persecuted, and was praying for God’s clear direction about where to give. Through a conversation with our CEO Josh Youssef, Angela learned about the plan to build a Ministry Center in Qaraqosh, Iraq.
Intrigued by this idea, she asked how much money was needed to make the Ministry Center a reality. Josh told her the amount—and it was exactly the amount she had planned to give from the sale of her house. Angela felt confirmed and eagerly committed her gift to Help The Persecuted’s Iraq Ministry Center.
Angela was essentially trading the stability and protection of her home in exchange for providing stability and protection for other people—people she didn’t even know in a city that she had never been before. She was trusting in the path God was setting before her.
“Help The Persecuted has taken a building that was destroyed in an area where there was no hope,” said Angela about the Ministry Center project. “Now it is this beautiful beacon of light and happiness and cheerfulness. It’s a beacon of hope in a place that has experienced pain.”
Little did she know that this was just the first step on this path that would change her life.
In need of people
Shortly after she’d donated the money to help construct the Ministry Center, Angela was unexpectedly laid off from her job as a senior-level executive. She had just made a major change by selling her home, and then came this unexpected change in her career.
During this time, Angela attended a meeting with Help The Persecuted where she had a conversation with one of our ministry partners from Iraq. Angela asked the ministry partner what their biggest need was. She expected him to say something like needing more money, or Bibles, or perhaps more prayer. However, his answer surprised her.
“People,” he told her. “We need missionaries.”
Her heart leapt. After losing her job, she’d been praying about what to do with her life. Now she had an idea. Perhaps being a missionary was the direction God had been leading her on all along.
Following her calling into Iraq
After a month of prayer and consideration, Angela was more convinced than ever that she was being called to serve in Iraq. Once again, she had a conversation with Josh Youssef about this calling. He told her that we had the need for someone with her skillset to help with operations for the Ministry Center.
So she moved to Iraq to join the team running the Ministry Center in Qaraqosh.
Upon arriving in Iraq, Angela said: “It’s beyond my wildest dreams that I would ever set foot here and see the work that Help The Persecuted has done. I’m just one part of a big puzzle.”
Not only had she supplied the funds to help build the building, but she also now shares her time, experience, and testimony in serving the Center. Angela is giving back with not only her money, but also through her time and actions.
Her story is also one of radical obedience and Angela is moved to tears each time she tells it. While it may appear she was making sacrifices, she sees how God has richly blessed her life and she is so grateful.
“I want to encourage others to listen to the voice of God,” said Angela. “Do not be afraid to give more than you’ve ever given before.”
How you can help
Not everyone can give money from the sale of their home. Not everyone can change careers and move overseas to be a missionary. Not everyone has been called by God to serve in these ways. Not everyone’s story will be just like Angela’s.
However, God does ask something from each of us. We are called to support those in need and make disciples of all nations. Giving in one way or another to Help The Persecuted is an effective means of supporting persecuted brothers and sisters, while also spreading the Gospel.
For you, this might mean making a donation. It might mean sharing this need with friends and family. It may even be as simple as praying for our mission. Each of these actions are much needed and greatly appreciated. They are also ways of putting your faith into action—just like Angela and countless others have done.