A Young Girl’s Courageous Decision

Recently I read a story published by Open Doors about a 9-year-old girl in Iraq whose family was forced to flee from their home after receiving a death threat in their mailbox. The letter called them “Christian dogs” and told them they had to leave in 24 hours or else their house would be bombed.

The family had to pack what belongings they could. Anything they didn’t take could be stolen—and who knows if they would ever return, or if they would ever have the money to replace what they lost. They faced a dangerous road and an uncertain future. They had less than 24 hours to decide what mattered most to take with them and then to escape. What could they afford to take? What could they afford to leave behind?

The 9-year-old girl decided what was more valuable to her than all her toys. She wanted to pack her Bible, even though her parents reminded her that taking it was dangerous. For her, persecution meant giving up her toys, leaving her home, moving far away, and risking being caught with a Bible in a Muslim land. With courage, she took that Bible. As she told her parents, “It’s the only thing I really want to take with me.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” -- Matthew 13:44