August 11, 2015
After 21 Coptic Christians were brutally murdered by ISIS, a leading US charity has stepped in to provide housing and care for their families.
The 20 Egyptian Christians, along with their Ghanaian co-worker, were from a poor village in Egypt and, at the time of their capture, were in Libya working to try to support their families, according to Christian Today.
The 21 martyrs were beheaded by ISIS fighters, who videoed the brutal event and posted it on social media, shocking the world.
Focus on the Family, a Christian ministry led by president Jim Daly, is working to help the families of the martyrs, both materially and spiritually.
According to Focus on the Family’s website, “They [the martyrs] literally had nothing, except for the very thing they died for because they would not let it go — their faith in Christ. Their families echoed that faith. They did not curse ISIS. They did not ask for pity. They did not ask for supplies or money."
Although they did not ask, Focus on the Family says that it is important for the church in America to help its brothers and sisters elsewhere.
Focus on the Family has built houses for the families which they state are not extravagant, but will meet basic needs.
"More than that, they [the houses] are a physical demonstration of unity within the worldwide body of Christ."
The ministry is hiring construction laborers from surrounding villages, thus providing jobs for members of the community. The Focus team is also meeting with family members of the martyrs.
Daly stated that "It brings us great joy to get to see these houses go up as a sign of love and unity within the global Church. It's amazing to see how God's presence reigns sovereign even in the midst of a horrible tragedy."
