Better connections with more work ahead
As our previous eNews made clear, Iraq’s Kurds held elections in September 2018 and it’s taken since then to form a coalition government with power-sharing amongst two major parties and three minor ones. All we knew at flight time was that our friend, the Prime Minister, was becoming the new President (See photo below) and being replaced as PM by his cousin, whom we did not know.
We also didn’t know that our highest government contact in Kurdistan thought we had abandoned our mission since the US State Department had issued a red do-not-travel warning to Erbil, our very destination. Hence, we arrived to discover no appointments and no accommodations. Not only that, but the new President was out of the country.
But, the Bible says “the heart of the king is in God’s hands,” so we chose to believe for the best anyway, which was exactly what we got.
First, we needed to meet the new Prime Minister-designate but had no idea how to do so. Then one of our party, after a television news interview, told a producer about our wish, only to discover that the producer was also a public relations officer with the new PM! One day later, we were sitting in the lavish headquarters of the new Prime Minister-to-be, hearing him reaffirm his commitment to writing true religious freedom into the Kurdistan Region’s new Constitution.
One down—one to go, but as far as we knew the incoming President was still out of the country. Now it was Monday evening and our window for a meeting was Tuesday. Finally, the call came during dinner. Incoming President Barzani had arrived home and immediately agreed to meet us the next morning at 10 am!
The next day, my mentor, Dr. Terry Law, sat next to his Excellency in the chair of honor, and once again broached the subject of the Kurds’ new Constitution, mentioning that Vice President Pence knows of the project and has expressed his enthusiasm to Terry face-to-face.
Then it was time to introduce an initiative I don’t yet have clearance to talk about, and one of the most gratifying moments of my life took place. “I want to talk with Vice President Pence about this as well,” Terry began, but our host held out a hand to stop him in mid-sentence.
“That’s fine if you want to do so,” the new President said, “but if Dr. Terry Law says it’s good then it’s done!” And just like that, a new plan took a giant first step forward.
Finally, please accept our deepest thanks for your generosity in sending me on this wonderful mission to Iraq. But, as can happen following an exciting project, June was our leanest month financially in several years. Bills were paid but we were not.
With upcoming missions to Trinidad and a return to Iraq that could take place almost anytime, we are asking you to step beyond designated projects and become a monthly partner with Jim Gilbert Ministries. In all honesty, our work (with more in the wings) cannot continue without regular support.
Please pause, pray, and then click the big blue button on the top right. And please, seriously consider making it a recurring donation. Iraqi Kurdistan really is the most promising place in the Muslim World for the gospel in 1,400 years.
Deepest thanks.