The Richmond Community Church hosted a conference, ‘Focus on the Middle East’, from Friday, November 16, to Sunday, November 18, in a bid to promote an understanding of what God is doing among Muslims, Christians and Jews in the Middle East and around the world.
Among the speakers was Father Douglas Al Bazi from Iraq, who was kidnapped by Islamic terrorists in 2006. Held for nine days, he was repeatedly tortured, suffering multiple injuries including two broken vertebrae from his spinal cord, his face and teeth smashed with a hammer and his body rinsed with hot water.
“I thought I’m not going to survive, well, definitely not in one piece,” says Father Douglas.
Survive he did, though he says while his injuries healed, the scars will remain.
Following his release after the Chaldean Catholic Church paid $170,000 in ransom, Father Douglas opted to remain quiet about his experience.
But in 2014 after 125,000 people fled from Mosul, he was compelled to share his story.
“I have to say what’s going on, enough is enough. It’s been systematic genocide over there. There were once 1.6million Christians in Iraq, now there are 200,000.”
Now based in Auckland, after his Bishop sent him as far from the conflict as possible, Father Douglas continues to speak out about the atrocities that continue to plague the Middle East.
“Silence itself is a guilt. I need to come and share my story, people need to hear it.”
Father Douglas has gone on to establish a refugee and trauma centre in Iraq, but says he’s no hero and is just doing his duty.
Reiterating the importance of speaking out, he says he needs to create an awareness of the intolerable suffering that is happening in his homeland.
“New Zealand’s a paradise, but Baghdad is my home. My soul is still in Baghdad, but my body is here.”