“It's selfish as a human being to say, 'When I'm good, I don't care about my neighbor.'”
“Jesus said, 'He who wants to be my disciple, that he take up his cross and follow me.' So when a Christian has difficulties, he or she must be prepared for them and pray for strength.”
These are some of the testimonies of persecuted Christians who have been taken in by the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother. Since 2010, these sisters have been giving a voice to persecuted Christians from all over the world.
SR. ISABEL
“Wakeup” project organizer
“It's incredible that it's unknown that entire parishes, filled with people, are massacred. There are children from age seven to 11 who are asked if they're prepared to renounce Christ to keep living.”
Nevertheless, from 2010 until now, persecution of Christians has worsened. The arrival of the Islamic State in the Middle East or groups like Boko Haram or Al-Shabbaab in Africa has caused violence against Christians to reach the levels of the first centuries, as the pope reminds.
FR. DOUGLAS AL-BAZI
Wake up-español
“If you can, don't just stand watching. Wake up and act.”
These words by this Iraqi priest who was kidnapped by terrorists – and who years later tended to thousands of people displaced by the Daesh in Erbil – drove the Wake Up project.
It's an initiative that not only focuses on showing the reality of Christians who suffer most, but also touching hearts – first among believers themselves, promoting prayer and even catechesis about persecution.
SR. ISABEL
Wake Up project organizer
“The goal of help carried out through the Wake up project is above all a rebirth of faith in a person.”
The project is reaching that goal through testimonies like these.
“I believe our Iraqi Christians are better than the Apostles. When Jesus was crucified, all the Apostles fled. Their leader, St. Peter, denied Jesus. I believe our Christians were stronger than him. We are proud. Fear? Yes. Daesh is only 25 miles from where I live. Even if they came, though, now I'm prepared. Now I'm prepared, and I believe my people are giving me the strength. We should be prepared at all times.”
The martyrdom of persecuted Christians today is helping other Christians appreciate what they can enjoy, but without having to risk their own lives.
