10 Years Ago — May 3, 2004
Presbyterians strive to maintain contacts with Christians in war-torn Iraq. Victor Makari, PC(USA) regional coordinator for the Middle East and Europe, maintains contact with several Presbyterian congregations in Iraq. There are “five Presbyterian congregations with which Makari keeps in contact, as does Nuhad Tomeh, a pastor and consultant with the Middle East Council of Churches who is based in Beirut and works to strengthen ecumenical relations in the region. While things were so dangerous in April that Makari did not make the Easter visit he had hoped to make, he stayed in touch by phone and email. ‘I am always hopeful that things will normalize, stability will be restored in Iraq,’ he said. But the Presbyterian congregations in Iraq are concerned that whatever government is assembled in the country will give only minimal representation to Christians, Makari said, and will give them even less voice than they had when Saddam Hussein was in power.” From the cover article, “Presbyterians continue to seek ways to help people of a violence-torn Iraq” by Leslie Scanlon.
