SYRIA: Former Kurdish Soldier's Life Threatened

Syria is littered with damaged or destroyed buildings from its long-running civil war.

A former Kurdish soldier has been threatened for his ministry work after placing his faith in Christ. During the Syrian Civil War, Kochar developed an intense hatred for all Arabs, an emotion that grew as he witnessed fellow Kurdish soldiers and friends die. He also experienced a crisis in his Islamic beliefs as he could not understand why Allah would allow Muslims to fight and kill fellow Muslims. At one point, he left Syria for a visit abroad and met some Christians. They explained the gospel, and Kochar became a follower of Christ. He is no longer a soldier and today says, “I love Arabs.” He works to win their hearts to the Lord, and his life has been repeatedly threatened for his ministry work. Praise the Lord for this huge change in Kochar's life, but pray for his safety to stay strong in the Lord.