Joel C. Rosenberg - Christianity Today publishes detailed report on Evangelical Delegation

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Christianity Today publishes detailed report on Evangelical Delegation: “Egyptian Protestants appreciate listening tour by U.S. counterparts.” Here’s the full story. by joelcrosenberg This week, Christianity Today published a lengthy article examining our Evangelical Delegation's visit to Cairo to encourage Egyptian Christians and to build a relationship with President el-Sisi and senior Egyptian officials. It was a fair and balanced article -- here are a few excerpts, but I would encourage you to read it in full. EXCERPTS: Rosenberg emphasized the delegation was a personal initiative of all involved. There was no official link to Trump or the US government. “Meeting with this delegation is not an endorsement of us or our views, but an opportunity for [Sisi] to advocate Egyptian interests to an important American constituency,” said Rosenberg. “To be effective in Washington, he needs buy-in and trust from pro-Israel people.” But with the Americans the whole time was a somewhat nervous Egyptian. “When I heard the key organizer lives in Israel,” Andrea Zaki, president of the Protestant Churches of Egypt, told a subsequent meeting of influential colleagues, “I was shaking a lot.” But Zaki checked with friends, and queried Rosenberg’s dispensationalism and prophetic theology. Differences exist, but he was satisfied. “I was blessed by these meetings,” said Zaki, “and I never saw the president so open and comfortable.” Scheduled for one hour, the conversation with Sisi stretched to nearly three. Egypt has maintained a peace treaty with Israel since 1979, but there is much support for the Palestinian cause. The delegation also visited Jihan Sadat, the widow of President Anwar al-Sadat. He paid for the treaty with his life, assassinated six months later. Putting Zaki at ease was Rosenberg’s somewhat unusual commitment. “It bothers me that too many US evangelicals are either-or toward Israel and the Arab world,” Rosenberg told CT. “They are good people, but sometimes they don’t realize you can love both without violation of your core convictions. “It hurts God’s heart if we show such disdain to one side or the other.” It also assured Zaki that the delegation was coming to listen, and wanted to help Egypt. “If I don’t help advance the interests of Egyptian evangelicals, I won’t consider the trip a success,” said Rosenberg. “We come and we go, but this is their country.” The subsequent meeting with about 40 leading Protestant pastors, ministry leaders, and political figures was a highlight to many. Stuffed into a tight meeting room, they heard not only what God is doing in Egypt, but also their respect and appreciation for President Sisi. “The feeling in Egypt is that we are not being listened to in the West,” Ramez Atallah, head of the Bible Society of Egypt, told CT. “Any sympathetic ear by a Western leader is gratifying.”..... ——————— > To pre-order a copy of The Kremlin Conspiracy (which releases March 6th), please click here. > To order copies of the new mass market paperbacks of the J.B. Collins novels — my trilogy about ISIS plotting attacks on the U.S., Israel, Jordan and Egypt — please click here. Would you like to make a secure, tax deductible investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net)? This is the non-profit organization that my wife, Lynn, and I founded in 2006 to educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, to care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, care for Syrian and Iraqi refugees, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. The Joshua Fund is a member in good standing of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Please click here to learn more. Thanks so much! Click here to read the 2016 Joshua Fund Donor Report — and watch the short videos, as well Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email.

Joel C. Rosenberg: Arab & Israeli media provide inside details of President Sisi’s historic meeting with Evangelical Christian leaders in Cairo.

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Arab & Israeli media provide inside details of President Sisi’s historic meeting with Evangelical Christian leaders in Cairo. Here’s a sampling of the coverage. by joelcrosenberg Nov. 2, 2017 (Cairo, Egypt) -- The first stories on our Delegation are beginning to appear in Arab and Israeli media.  A story on Egypt Today, the daily news website of an English-language monthly magazine, was headlined, Sisi meets delegation of U.S. Evangelical heads in Cairo. A story on Masrawy.com, one of the largest news websites in Egypt and the Middle East, was headlined, السيسي لقيادات الطائفة الإنجيلية الأمريكية: نحرص على إعلاء مبادئ المواطنة(translation: "Sisi to the leaders of the American Evangelical community: We are keen to uphold the principles of citizenship.") A story in Haaretz, one of the leading Israeli daily newspapers, was headlined, In First, Egypt's Sissi Meets With Leading American Evangelical Christian Activists Meanwhile, a correspondent and videographer from CBN, the Christian Broadcasting Network, is here in Cairo with us to cover the Delegation. I'll be sure to post their story when it's filed. Here's the text of the Haaretz article by Washington correspondent, Amir Tibon.... WASHINGTON -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi met on Wednesdaywith a group of leading evangelical Christian activists from the United States at his office in Cairo, where they discussed the fight against ISIS, the prospects for peace between Israel and the Arab world and the situation of Christians in Egypt and elsewhere in the region The meeting, the first of its kind, lasted for almost three hours and signaled the Egyptian president's interest in forging a close relationship with one of the largest and most influential religious denominations in the United States The meeting was initiated by Joel Rosenberg, an evangelical activist and author who lives in Jerusalem. Rosenberg participated in a meeting that Sissi held earlier this year in Washington, D.C., with experts on the Middle East, leaders of Jewish organizations and former senior U.S. government officials. Following that meeting, he discussed with officials in the Egyptian president's close circle the idea of arranging a meeting for him with Evangelical leaders, noting that no such meeting has taken place in recent history.                                                                             Sissi accepted the idea, and on Wednesday, the 12-member group arrived to meet him at the Presidential Palace in Cairo. According to Rosenberg, who spoke with Haaretz after the meeting, "it was supposed to last an hour, but lasted almost three." Egypt's intelligence chief, General Khaled Fawzy, and the president of the Protestant Churches of Egypt, Dr. Andrea Zaki, also attended the discussion. Sissi opened the meeting by expressing his condolences to the American people following Tuesday's terror attack in New York. He added that Egypt and the U.S. are partners in the fight against terrorism and extremism, and spoke about Egypt's battle against Islamist terror organizations in the Sinai Peninsula. Rosenberg added that Sissi told the group that he wants to "build on the legacy of President Anwar Sadat," the Egyptian leader who signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1978, and paid for it with his life. "The president explained to us that Egypt has learned a lot over the years on how to make and maintain peace, and because it has a leadership role in the Arab world, it can help others move towards peace, based on its unique experience." According to Rosenberg, Sissi told the group that he remembers being impressed, as a young man, with Sadat's determination to sign a peace agreement with Israel. "My sense after the conversation was that after a rough start, he now has more confidence in his stability and position, to start working more on regional issues," Rosenberg told Haaretz. With regards to the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations that the Trump administration is trying to renew, Rosenberg said that Sissi "didn't go into tactics and specifics," but expressed his support for that effort. Over the last year, Sissi has stated a number of times that Egypt believes an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord could have a positive influence on the entire Middle East, and has encouraged the Trump administration to pursue such a deal.            Egypt played an important role in forging the recent reconciliation deal between the two leading Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, an issue that naturally came up during the meeting with the evangelical group. "I think that with a different leader, everyone in the room would have been very uncomfortable with discussing this reconciliation deal," Rosenberg said. "But with him, people felt like they should give him some space and consideration to lead this process. It's OK to be skeptical, but let's not be cynical - let's give the man some credit and see what he can do in a very difficult situation."               The evangelical community in the United States is considered very supportive of Israel, and over the last two decades, Israeli right-wing politicians and organizations have created significant partnerships with Evangelical Christian groups. A number of the participants in the meeting on Wednesday are members of President Trump's Evangelical Advisory Council, and Rosenberg is considered close to Vice President Mike Pence. There are more than 60 million evangelical Christians in the United States, and more than 600 million worldwide. At some point during his conversation with the evangelical leaders, Sissi asked his aides to organize a meeting for the group with Jehan Sadat, the late president's widow. "They called her and asked if she would be willing to meet us, and she said - yes, they are invited for tea at 4:00. So right after the meeting with the president, we all went to her house in Cairo. She was fascinating. She told us about the night her husband first told her he was planning to go to Jerusalem and give a speech at the Knesset about the chance for peace. According to Rosenberg, Sadat also told the group about "her memories from meeting Israeli leaders like Menachem Begin, Shimon Peres and Ezer Weizman. We were truly humbled to spend time with her and hear these stories. Rosenberg, who was born to a Jewish father, told Haaretz that he was surprised at the level of interest expressed by the Egyptians in the delegation. "For the leader of Egypt to invite a Christian group to sit with him, discuss what he's doing, talk about some of the difficult issues, that's very impressive. I was hoping we could get ten minutes with him, and eventually we got almost three hours. From our side, the important thing was to show our appreciation for his fight against terrorism and extremism, for his commitment to peace and security ties with Israel, and for saving Egypt from the darkness of the Muslim Brotherhood." joelcrosenberg | November 2, 2017 at 5:35 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: https://wp.me/piWZ7-8AI

Did Pope Francis Just Make Another Move for One World Religion? - LIN NOUEIHED AND CRISPIAN BALMER/REUTERS

Pope Francis embraces Al-Azhar's Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb. (REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi)

Did Pope Francis Just Make Another Move for One World Religion?

4/28/2017 LIN NOUEIHED AND CRISPIAN BALMER/REUTERS

Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

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Pope Francis arrived in Cairo on Friday hoping to mend ties with Muslim leaders, just as Egypt's ancient Christian community faces unprecedented pressure from Islamic State militants who have threatened to wipe it out.

In an address to the Egyptian people this week, Francis said he hoped his visit would help bring peace and encourage dialog and reconciliation with the Islamic world.

But it comes at a painful time for Egypt's Copts, the Middle East's largest Christian community, three weeks after Islamic State suicide bombers killed 45 people in twin church bombings.

Those attacks followed a cathedral bombing that killed 28 people in December and a spree of murders that has forced hundreds of Christians to flee North Sinai, where the group is most active.

"Pope of Peace in Egypt of Peace," read posters plastered along the road leading from the airport to central Cairo, showing a smiling pope, his hand raised above the Christian cross and the Crescent moon of Islam.

Military Humvees patrolled the streets and soldiers guarded routes the pope will take. As on other foreign visits, Pope Francis will shun armored limousines during his 27-hour stay and use a normal car, saying this lets him be nearer the people.

Streets close to the Vatican embassy in Cairo and other sites have been cleared of cars and blocked off, and pedestrians were not allowed to linger.

"After all the pain we have experienced ... we are satisfied and confident that the state is taking strong security measures to prevent terrorism and protect churches," said Father Boulos Halim, spokesman of the Coptic Orthodox church to which the majority of Egypt's Christians belong.

"It's in the state's interests to protect its nationals, and the Copts are not an independent people, they are part and parcel of the nation itself."

Strained Relations

Francis will meet President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi; Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, the world's most influential seat of Sunni Islamic theology and learning; and PopeTawadros II, head of the Coptic Orthodox Church who narrowly escaped a church bombing in Alexandria on Palm Sunday.

Francis is expected to give his key address to a conference on religious dialog at Al-Azhar, part of efforts to improve relations with the 1,000-year-old center after Egyptian Muslim leaders cut ties in 2011 over what they said were repeated insults against Islam by Pope Benedict.

Tayeb visited the Vatican last year after restoring relations. Widely considered among the most moderate clerics in Egypt, Tayeb has condemned Islamic State and its practice of declaring others as infidels as a pretext for waging jihad.

Francis denounces violence in God's name and papal aides say a moderate like Tayeb would be an important ally in condemning radical Islam.

But Tayeb is under fire over the slow pace of reform at Azhar, which critics in Egypt's parliament and media accuse of failing to combat the religious foundations of Islamist extremism. They say Azhar is an ossified institution whose clerics have resisted pressure from Sisi to modernize their religious discourse. 

© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.

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Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog - ISIS targets Egypt, vows to “liberate” Cairo, slaughter Christians.

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ISIS targets Egypt, vows to “liberate” Cairo, slaughter Christians. Palm Sunday attacks on two Egyptian churches latest salvo in dangerous new offensive. Here’s the latest. by joelcrosenberg (Central Israel) -- Having just landed back in Israel last night to rejoin my family and celebrate Passover, I was heart-broken to hear the news out of Cairo. But let's be clear: the savage attacks by the Islamic State yesterday against Christians in two Egyptian churches packed for Palm Sunday are not isolated incidents. They are the latest salvos in a dangerous new ISIS offensive to destabilize Egypt, and they underscore the urgency of close Egyptian security cooperation with both the U.S. and Israel to neutralize this jihadist threat. Consider the context of the two church attacks. In May 2016, ISIS released a blizzard of videos and social media statements in support of "Sinai Province," one of their jihadist affiliates. Since then, ISIS in the Sinai has ramped up its terrorist attacks against Egyptian citizens and military forces in Sinai and rocket attacks against civilians in southern Israel. "The series warns Egyptians against adopting the 'new religion' of democracy, and urge them to 'wake up and realize [their] salvation is with sharia,'" noted an analysis in the journal, Foreign Affairs, headlined, ISIS TARGETS EGYPT: Why The Group Set Its Sights On Sinai. "They play up Sinai’s location as the 'land of the prophet Moses,' denounce Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi as a new Pharaoh, and curse him for 'protecting the Jews.'" "In addition to criticizing the Egyptian government, the latest videos dub Sinai the 'gateway to Palestine,' from which ISIS will 'liberate' Jerusalem and its iconic al-Aqsa Mosque," the Foreign Affairs articles explains. "The videos show Egyptian leaders and military officials meeting Israeli counterparts, and call Israel’s Jews 'victims in waiting,' whom ISIS will deal with after the Egyptian 'apostates.' As one fighter warns, Israelis will soon meet the same fate as their supposed Egyptian collaborators: 'the knives used to slice open the necks of your spies will slaughter your soldiers tomorrow.'" Then, just two months ago, ISIS released a 20-minute video specifically declaring war on Egypt's Coptic Christian community -- which comprises about 10 percent of Egypt's 93 million people -- and vowing to assassinate Coptic Pope Tawadros II. In the video, "a masked man, identified as Abu Abdallah al-Masri...promises that Islamists jailed in Egypt will be freed soon, when the group takes the capital," reportedThe Times of London. "Al-Masri, which means 'The Egyptian,' was the nom-de-guerre given by the terrorist group to the militant it claims was behind a December suicide bombing that targeted a Cairo chapel within St Mark’s Cathedral, the seat of the Coptic Pope. Twenty-nine people, mostly women and children, were killed in the blast, which was the deadliest to hit Egypt’s Christians in living memory." “To my brothers in captivity: rejoice, you believers, do not falter or grieve. I swear to God we will very soon liberate Cairo and free you from captivity,” the militant said, clutching an assault rifle in a wheat field. “We will come bearing explosives, I swear we will, so rejoice you believers.” It was in this context, then, that President el-Sisi just made his first visit to Washington to meet with President Trump and rebuild U.S.-Egyptian relations, especially with regards to security cooperation. It was also in this context that ISIS chose to strike two Egyptian churches, and that el-Sisi subsequently announced a "state of emergency" to deploy additional security forces across the country to protect Egyptians from the jihadists. Please join me in praying for Egypt. Lynn and our four sons and I lived in Cairo for nearly three months in late 2005 while I was researching and writing a book. We spent several weeks on the Sinai peninsula, even traveling to the traditional site of Mount Sinai where Moses met with God and received the Ten Commandments. We have a deep love for the people of Egypt and have deep concerns over the dangers that the people and leaders of Egypt face. As such, I appreciated the opportunity to meet with President el-Sisi last week, to better understand his vision for Egypt and how he intends to deal with the ISIS threat, and numerous other challenges, from improving Egypt's economy, to improving relations between Muslims and Christians, to helping Israelis and Palestinians find a way to live together in peace. In  October 2013, I wrote of Mr. el-Sisi, "clearly he is someone to keep an eye on." In January 2014, I wrote a column titled, "Who to watch in 2014 — #4: Egyptian army chief al-Sisi. He’s set to announce presidential bid in 72 hours." Given recent developments, I will continue to write about him and trends in Egypt. Here's the latest from the Associated Press: Suicide bombers struck hours apart at two Coptic churches in northern Egypt, killing 44 people and turning Palm Sunday services into scenes of horror and outrage at the government that led the president to call for a three-month state of emergency. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the violence, adding to fears that extremists are shifting their focus to civilians, especially Egypt's Christian minority. The attacks in the northern cities of Tanta and Alexandria that also left 126 people wounded came at the start of Holy Week leading up to Easter, and just weeks before Pope Francis is due to visit. Pope Tawadros II, the leader of the Coptic church who will meet with Francis on April 28-29, was in the Alexandra cathedral at the time of the bombing but was unhurt, the Interior Ministry said. It was the single deadliest day for Christians in decades and the worst since a bombing at a Cairo church in December killed 30 people.... —————— Without Warning — my new thriller about ISIS operatives launching catastrophic terrorist attacks inside the U.S. using chemical weapons captured in Syria — is now available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, Lifeway, and your favorite general market and Christian bookstores. To order online, please click here. ——————— Would you like to make a secure, tax deductible investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net)? This is the non-profit organization that my wife, Lynn, and I founded in 2006 to educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, to care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, care for Syrian and Iraqi refugees, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. The Joshua Fund is a member in good standing of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Please click here to learn more. Thanks so much! Pastors and ministry leaders:  to begin planning your own tour of Israel in July 2018 that allows you to bring your people to the Summit, please click here. Lay people: to learn more about The Joshua Fund’s next tour of Israel — and to register while there is still space — please click here. Click here to read the 2016 Joshua Fund Donor Report — and watch the short videos, as well Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. joelcrosenberg | April 10, 2017 at 12:56 pm | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-7uw

Joel C. Rosenberg: In the fight against terrorism, Cairo is a critically important ally.

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President Trump should invite Egyptian President el-Sisi to visit Washington. In the fight against terrorism, Cairo is a critically important ally. [My new column in the Jerusalem Post] by joelcrosenberg (Washington, D.C.) -- Several weeks ago on this blog, I called on the Trump-Pence administration to urgently begin rebuilding America's alliance with Egypt. Today, in my new column in the Jerusalem Post, I make the case that President Trump should immediately send his Secretaries of State and Defense to Cairo, and invite Egyptian President el-Sisi to Washington for high-level meetings. Here are a few excerpts from the column: As the Trump administration develops plans to confront Iran, destroy the Islamic State (ISIS) and strengthen US-Israel relations, it’s critical that it also rebuild America’s ties with Egypt, the leader of the Sunni Arab world. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi was often disrespected if not ignored by president Barack Obama. This serious mistake should be promptly corrected. The American secretaries of state and defense should visit Cairo immediately to map out ways to work together. President Donald Trump should then invite the Egyptian leader to visit him in Washington soon, following up on successful recent meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jordan’s King Abdullah. Sisi came to power amid the most catastrophic meltdown of Egypt’s social, economic and political order in living memory. He has made mistakes. But he’s making progress, and he needs help. Here are six big things the Egyptian leader is doing right.... [To read the full column, please click here] --------------------- Pre-order Without Warning for up to 48% off -- available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats on Amazon, B&N, or any general market or Christian bookstore, the novel will release on March 14, 2017. Please click here. ———————-—- Would you like to make a secure, tax deductible investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net)? This is the non-profit organization Lynn and I founded in 2006 to educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, to care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, care for Syrian and Iraqi refugees, and strengthen the Church in the epicenter. The Joshua Fund is a member in good standing of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Please click here to learn more. Thanks so much! Click here to read the 2016 Joshua Fund Donor Report — and watch the short videos, as well Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. joelcrosenberg | March 7, 2017 at 2:48 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-75P

Widow's Joy: He Didn't Deny Christ When Beheaded

By Gary Lane

CBN News Chief International Correspondent

Sunday, June 14, 2015

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CAIRO, Egypt -- Imagine ISIS kidnapped a relative of yours and then you see their brutal beheading on television. Many different emotions can take over, including anger, grief, and depression.

CBN News found a group of Egyptian Christians, however, who responded much differently. They are happy their family members stood firm in their faith.

Widow Mariam Farhat told us she, "was very proud" that her husband "stood firm in his faith and that he didn't deny Jesus."

That surprising reaction is happening 150 miles south of Cairo, in the village of Al Aour.

Residents there honor the sacrifice of 21 Egyptians brutally murdered last February by ISIS. Their pictures are prominently displayed in the sanctuary of Virgin Mary Church.

Thirteen attended the church. The martyrs left behind family members like 23-year-old Farhat. She became a widow when the militants beheaded her husband Malak Ibrahim in Libya.

She first learned of his murder when she saw the now infamous video on local television.

"We were very sad for the first two days, but we hadn't seen the video," she recalled. "When we saw them in the video calling to Jesus we were very comforted."

And that's why Mariam and other families say they are now joyful, not sad.

Bebawy Al Ham's brother Samuel was among those killed.

"We were always praying that God would make them steadfast in their faith," Bebawy told CBN News. "We were very happy with what they said on the video: 'Jesus Christ have mercy on us.' When we found out they had been killed for being Christian, we were very comforted, because these were God's children and he took them."

Although Samuel's wife and children now live without a husband and father, his family told CBN News their faith is stronger; they forgive the jihadists, and even pray for ISIS.

"I pray for them that God may open their hearts, and they may know the truth and know that what they do is wrong and then do the right thing," Bebawy said.

"Jesus told us to forgive every sin and we forgive them and we hope that they can come to know Jesus," he said.

Egyptian Christians are encouraged to know they are not alone. In the United States there's a growing movement among Christians to demonstrate unity and solidarity with those who are suffering for Christ in the Middle East.

Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, explained.

"What we thought was how could we identify and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being brutalized around the world for their Christian faith?" he said. "What tangible thing could we do, what practical thing could we do?"

Immediately, orange jumpsuits came to mind. Mahoney and others launched the #orangejumpsuitcampaign. The movement has expanded to orange scarves, sweaters, and ribbons.

"It's to remind our brothers and sisters that we love them, and we're standing with them and to remind decision makers here in America and across the globe--the free nations of the world--we cannot be silent on this issue," Mahoney said.

He said the response has been amazing. Non-Christians have joined in as well.

"A Jewish rabbi, to stand in solidarity with persecuted Christians is dying his beard orange, which I think is incredible and I can't wait to see that," Mahoney said.

Mariam was encouraged after she viewed cell phone photos of Americans wearing orange.

"May the Lord make their love grow and grow. We are very happy with their love and we don't deserve their love," she told CBN News.

Mahoney said every five minutes around the world a Christian is killed for his faith.

"People don't understand the kind of barbarism and brutality they are going through," he said. "And you know when I visit persecuted Christians in the Middle East there is one thing that they always ask--it doesn't matter if it is Iraq, Syria, wherever it might be-- it's this: 'Please remember us!'"

And wearing orange on the job or at church helps people remember them.

"I think people need to understand that if we do not act quickly, the public expression of Christianity may be extinguished in the Middle East. As Elie Weisel, Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner, says, "we must always take sides. Silence only helps the oppressor, never the oppressed,'" Mahoney said.

Mariam also has a message for others who have suffered or still face danger from ISIS.

"Don't be sad or cry. God will support us all," he said. "And he will fulfill his promise that he is the father of the orphans and the widows."

Watch video: Joy in Jesus