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Although not reported often in the Western media, the Sunni residents of Mosul welcomed ISIS enthusiastically — at least initially. Long before the name of the Islamic State existed, murder and kidnapping had been part of the daily life of Christians in the city. Fr. Ragheed Ganni, for example, who will possibly be the first canonized saint of the genocide, was killed in 2007 along with three deacons.

At this time, Christians were leaving Mosul in large numbers, mainly for the Christian towns and villages on the Nineveh Plain, since sectarian violence exploded after the fall of Saddam Hussein. It is sad, though realistic to say, that we’re unlikely to see most of the Christians who lived in Mosul being able to return. But if the Christian towns and villages of the Nineveh Plain can be protected, then things might be different.

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There is some good news, although once again it’s unlikely to be covered by the Western media for political reasons. In Syria, where Islamist forces have been defeated by pro-government forces, rebuilding is starting and people are actually returning — giving the lie to the story that refugees will not return.

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I heard from a resident of Aleppo just the other day that Christian families are returning and that roads are being put down — but you will not hear that on most broadcasts; it doesn’t fit the narrative. Archbishop Jean Clement JeanBart, the Melkite Catholic archbishop of Aleppo, has called for foreign businesses to help people create jobs, since, as in Iraq, people will only stay if they have work.

Up until now, the agencies that have been helping the Christian refugees have concentrated mainly on food and housing, and those needs continue. (And it has been almost 100 percent church agencies, groups such as Aid to the Church in Need, Samaritan’s Purse and others.) But it is essential now that those working to help persecuted Christians return to their homes have a shift in mindset toward micro-financing and job creation.

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This has not been part of the strategy up until now. For those who want to help, the expertise of business leaders in the U.S. and other countries will be desperately needed. So often people want to help, but they do not know what to do. Yet factories can be built, and businesses can be started.

If parts of the Nineveh Plain can be protected and the liberated areas of Syria remain stable — with investment, security and goodwill — the people will not only return but prosper. The question remains: Will Christian business leaders in the West invest in the future of their persecuted brothers and sisters?

Fr. Benedict Kiely is a Catholic priest and founder of Nasarean.org, which is helping the persecuted Christians of the Middle East. [lz_pagination]