The Peace Tower Church in Centretown is rallying until the end of March in order to raise funds to help Christian communities suffering from ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.
The Islamic State terrorist group, or ISIS, has displaced more than 100,000 Christians since last year, according to Chaldean Patriarch Louis Sako, the current Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon, when advances made by ISIS caused Christians to flee Iraq with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.
The church, which is located on Bronson Avenue, has already raised $2,500 of its $4,000 goal, all of which will go to persecuted churches in Ukraine and relief workers in Iraq.
ISIS, which was originally a part of al-Qaida but has separated, has since become one of the most powerful terrorist groups in the world, with an estimated 10,000 soldiers under its control.
Brendan Jones, a member of the Ottawa church, says this kind of community spirit shown in the fundraising effort has been a fantastic thing to witness.
“It’s great to see people get together for such a good cause” he says. “Seeing the community rally to help those in need is incredible.”
The money raised during the rally will be donated to the “For The Silenced” foundation which helps Christians around the world who are suffering persecution, displacement or other hardships in their home countries.
Jones says the fundraising drive is a good way for the Centretown community to set an example for others in the surrounding area.
“I think this rally is great because it encourages others to get out there and make a difference, not only locally but globally too, and that’s important.”
The deadline for donations is March 29th and with almost half the money raised already Jones says he thinks that they’ll reach the goal of $4,000 well before the end of the month.
Last year, the church was able to raise $10,000 for Agape home in Thailand which takes care of children living with HIV. Yearly missions from the church allow for good progress to be made around the world.
Anyone wishing to help the church with its fundraiser can do so by visiting in person at its location at 343 Bronson Ave. or by calling on 613-729-6343.