Christina, finally reunited with her family! (Her elated mother, Ayda, is in the backseat.)
Photo: Twitter @thestevennabil
A tragic story that began three years ago now has a miraculously happy ending. You may recall hearing about Christina Abada, the three-year-old girl in Iraq who was kidnapped right out of her mother's arms by ISIS terrorists in August 2014. After three years of separation, and her family fearing the worst, Christina was reunited with her parents and siblings on June 9th. (In addition to the original report being published in a previous issue of VOM Canada's monthly publication, a subsequent prayer alert was posted as a reminder to continue praying for Christina's protection and safe return to her family.)
When young Christina had been taken, ISIS was starting its sweep of terror in Iraq, going through Mosul and Qaraqosh and targeting minorities -- mostly Christians and Yazidis. Those who didn't escape were given a choice: convert to Islam, pay a protection tax, or die. As Christina's parents were Christians in Qaraqosh, her kidnapping became a focal point worldwide for the horrific persecution Iraqi believers were facing at the hands of ISIS.
Greg Musselman, Minister at Large with The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, met Christina's mother, Ayda, a few years ago in Erbil (a city located within the region of Kurdistan) and was able to hear her story: "They were preparing to leave that part of Iraq and go into Erbil, which was a safer area. Christina was in Ayda's arms when an Islamic soldier came onto the bus...and took Christina away from her mother. Ayda ran after her daughter...but was told that if she didn't get back on the bus, she would be killed right there." (Greg's videotaped interview with Ayda is included in the 15-minute documentary titled, Iraq: Escaping ISIS, which can be found on the right side of the above mentioned link.)
After Christina's kidnapping, her traumatized parents met up with the rest of their children who had already fled to Kurdistan. However, they never stopped looking for their abducted child, and a network of friends persisted in searching with them over the years. Then they received the phone call that would change everything. Christina had been found alive and well in Hayy al-Tanak, a neighborhood in Mosul, Iraq.
Greg Musselman says the newly-reunited Abada family is now integrating young Christina back into their lives. But it's going to be a process for the child, who's now nearly six years old: "The little girl, as you can imagine, is totally confused.... (Christina's) traumatized, and she's going to need counselling and help. Ministries like VOM and others will be there to help her." For now, Christina's safe return is a wondrous answer to prayer.
To review the entire Mission Network News article, reporting on this recent update, click here.
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