IRAQ

In the spring of this year, our team went back to Iraq to check in on our team members caring for children injured by ISIS. We also had an opportunity to visit these kids, many of whom we’ve been walking alongside for years.

Victor and Eileen also conducted the first marriage conference in Erbil. It was amazing to be in a room packed with 300+ people, all wanting to hear about God’s design for a husband and wife.

But the highlight of that trip for me was when word came to us about an amazing young teenager who had recently escaped from ISIS after almost 8 years of being held captive as a sex slave. After she managed to get free of her captors, some people told her she needed to get to Erbil where Victor Marx was, because he was the only one who helped girls like her.

Let that sink in for a bit.

This brave girl arrived at our office a mere 48 hours after being reunited with her family. Timing was perfect. Victor and Eileen just so happened to be in the country and there at the office. What are the odds of that?

Odds mean nothing to the God of the universe who created it and sustains it by His very will. But the infinite God also loves to be in the details of the lives of individuals like this precious daughter of His who needed someone to help her recover after having her body, mind and spirit quite literally broken.

She smiled the entire time she sat at our office, and when asked why, she just kept repeating, “I am free!”

What great perspective for all of us to glean from! The past is over, so let it be a signpost, not a hitching post. What a blessing it has been for us to walk with her this year as she is being restored.

Another notable highlight for me came at the end of 2022, when Victor and Eileen were asked to speak at a church in Tennessee for two special events: a Sunday evening discussion with Victor and a Women’s Christmas tea with Eileen.

During the Sunday evening session, Victor broached the subject of spiritual warfare. Remarkably, every single participant seemed riveted. Each person remained glued to his or her seat for the entire session. A full 3 ½ hours later, the crowd was dismissed.

However, the spiritual warfare battle didn’t end that night. At the close of the session, Victor told attendees that on Monday, our team would be available to pray for anyone who was interested in dealing with demonic oppression and asked for sign-ups. Eighteen people put their names on the list and showed up the next day! Then on Tuesday, we prayed for an additional 10-plus individuals. On Wednesday, as we were getting ready to head to the airport, 10 more people showed up to receive prayer.

One of the people I was asked to pray for was a sweet woman who had been demonized most of her life. Drugs and therapy had not been effective in her treatment. Despite trying to live a faith-filled life, she continued to struggle.

This woman manifested heavily during our prayer time. She experienced a lot of physical discomfort and heard the demons very clearly threatening me. At one point, the voice that spoke through her clearly told me how much it hated me.

She was a little scared when she heard these guttural words crawl out from her own lips. I moved in closer and took her hand to let her know that she had nothing to fear. I then told the demon that I knew of his hatred for me and all like me who love Jesus. I then told him that his time was just about up.

After getting the information we needed, a rather long time of prayer ended with a dear sister in the Lord experiencing freedom like she had not before. Family lines of involvement with the occult had made her a prime target for the works of darkness, but the Light of Christ brought her the freedom that medical science could not.

At ATP, we believe it is our calling to set captives free physically, emotionally and spiritually. I am honored and blessed to have a front-row seat to watch our Lord bring freedom to so many people.

CHAZ YANDALL Chief Support Officer