A Demonstration at the Capital

For the last six days, our team has been in Washington DC helping Rev Pat Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition. Yesterday we had the exciting opportunity to participate in a demonstration on the back terrace of the capitol. It was in support of the Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq. Sadly enough, we were the only voiced Christian presence on Capital Hill all week, through the Senate Committee discussions surrounding the reports of General Patraeus and Ambassador Crocker. Our stand was this: Regardless of whether we were right to enter Iraq, the fact is we are there now. What is important to remember is that the security of millions of people will be at stake if our troops pull out prematurely. When speaking with Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Maliki and cabinet members at the prayer delegation in Baghdad, Iraq some six weeks ago (see previous blog), our representatives (including both Mahoney and our director Kris Keating) were told that Christians in Iraq would be completely eliminated if the US presence was to be removed too soon. Therefore, the blood of all Iraqi Christians and other religious minorities will be on American hands if we allow the security provided by our US troops to be taken out before the Iraqi army is capable of defending it's own nation. As Christians, we are commanded to love our neighbors. This includes the Christian people of Iraq, who have very little voice in America.
What an experience! Rev Mahoney also held a press conference during this demonstration and it was really awesome to get to be a part of it. For clarification, what you're seeing here is sixty latex gloves spray-painted red on the back terrace of the Capital building.(top and left: with Susie Boyed: another a Hillside Staff Member, right: with Jessica Ross, Hillside intern)