Open Doors International, which is a California-based ministry that protects the persecuted Church worldwide is reaching out to the believers of war-devastated Iraq helping them to prepare for the first Christmas sine the fall of Hussein’s tyrannical regime.

Some Christian leaders are referring to this period of fall of Hussein’s regime as the opportunity for growth of Christianity and spread of the gospel. Open Doors is also trying to take advantage of the religious freedom by putting much effort into expansion of church.

Open Doors has come up with many plans including distributing 50,000 Christian-themed coloring books to Iraqi children and devotional materials for adults – both are scheduled to be distributed early next year and offering training for Iraqi Sunday School teachers. Open Doors is also planning to open a Christian bookstores and Christian resource center in Baghdad next year so that various Christian resources could be available, including books, cassettes, and videos.

Carl Moeller, president of Open Doors, says the mood in Iraq is more positive than it was immediately after the war. "The Iraqis are sensing that God is doing something significant," he says.

Open Doors will be offering many activities to support believers in Iraq all through the coming year.

"In the churches that we work with, we're being asked to provide many more resource materials," Moeller notes, "and a Christian praise team from Egypt is going to be holding concerts in Iraqi churches during the Christmas holidays."

"We have initiatives that center on children and also on literature distribution," Moeller says, adding, "I'm excited to know that what we'll be doing throughout 2004 is standing close and strong with the persecuted Church there."