Bravery and resilience from Jordan
Amid shock and trauma, survivors of church attack witness to faith
As survivors of the church attack in Jordan describe the shock and trauma of the shooting that claimed nine lives, stories of bravery and messages of resilience offer solace for the grieving.
Gunmen opened fire on mourners attending a funeral at St George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Ehmoud, Karak governorate, on 23 October.
Speaking on SAT-7 ARABIC programmes You Are Not Alone and Good Morning From Beirut, several people who were there described the sense of disbelief as they realised the church was under attack, and how they tried to shelter from the intense gunfire.
“The scene keeps replaying before my eyes,” said Ihab Amarin, Director General of the Jordan Museum, who was directly in the firing line but managed to escape unharmed.
“I can hear the sound of gunfire echoing inside my own head. Sleeping at night is difficult; even when I do manage to fall asleep, it’s filled with disturbing dreams and nightmares. Describing it is one thing, but actually living through it is something else entirely… Those ten minutes felt like ten years, and that’s no exaggeration.”
BRAVERY
Amid the trauma and horror, stories of great bravery have emerged. Some of the younger men put themselves in the firing line to close the church doors and protect those inside from the armed assailants.
One of the nine people who lost their lives in the attack, Fadi Al-Halaseh, took eight bullets as he shielded his father from the gunfire. The 23-year-old had recently graduated as a dentist.
His uncle Emad told You Are Not Alone, “My nephew is now with Jesus in heaven, among the martyrs and the saints who stand before the throne.
“I am praying with all my heart, ‘O Lord, may this blood that has been shed not go to waste… Lord, may this blood cleanse this land, and may it serve as a starting point for the salvation of many.’”
SOLIDARITY
Over the last couple of weeks, SAT-7 viewers have been reaching out with prayers and messages of solidarity.
A young boy called Daniel from Assiut, Upper Egypt, called in to live SAT-7 KIDS worship show I Dwell in Him to pray for those affected by the church attack:
“Lord, we thank you for your love for us and your protection. Lord, I pray for all your children in Jordan and all the trouble that is happening. Protect your children everywhere. Comfort all those who are sad, and heal all who are sick, in the name of Jesus. Amen.”
A SAT-7 ARABIC social post expressing solidarity and prayers for the victims received over 3,000 interactions, including 400 comments from people offering their own prayers and messages of faith.
One of the most meaningful comments came from a viewer expressing solidarity between members of different religious groups in Jordan: “Our hearts are with our Christian brothers and sisters. Their suffering is our suffering; their grief is our grief; and this tragedy has deeply hurt the hearts of all Jordanians, Muslims and Christians alike.”
RESILIENCE
As the Christian community in Jordan tries to come to terms with what happened and grieves for the loss of loved ones, church leaders are offering prayers of comfort and messages of resilience.
Father Youhanna Hamati of St George’s Church, where the incident took place, said that as the congregation remains in pain and in shock, “we try to instil a spirit of peace and reassurance… May the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, bring comfort to the hearts of those who are suffering. Those who have lost a father, a mother or a brother, and those currently in hospital: may God grant them healing.”
He reflected on how persecution has always been a part of church history, especially for the Christians of the Middle East, and how it remains their calling to witness to the faith in these lands.
“We must not let fear stop us from continuing our lives and bearing witness to our children. The mission of the Church, a Church with a living faith, has, from the very first century of the Christian era, produced witnesses and martyrs.”
LESSONS
As wider Jordanian society reflects on the church attack and how to respond to it, Haitham Arefij, a lawyer from the country, stressed the importance of education and acceptance of others.
He told Good Morning From Beirut, “We need to instill the concept of freedom of belief in our children, within our schools and throughout our educational curricula.
“Every person has their own faith and their own freedom of belief, and the state must guarantee this freedom: a right already enshrined in the Jordanian Constitution. We must put this into practice and reaffirm it.”
PLEASE PRAY:
- Pray for comfort and healing for all those who lost loved ones and suffered injuries in the attack.
- Pray for the congregation of St George’s Church as it tries to come to terms with what happened. Pray for protection from fear.
- Give thanks for expressions of solidarity from different parts of Jordanian society. Pray that the country will stand united against terrorism and extremism.