I helped start a nonprofit that works in Iraq and a few other places in the Middle East. As a result, I get to travel to this part of the world fairly regularly, and there are quite a few videos on my YouTube channel from this beautiful land (you can find them in this playlist). Many people in my country think of Iraq as scary, war-torn, and full of terrorists. But I see it as a land of beauty, hospitality, culture, and normal people just trying to live normal lives with their families. Sadly, Iraq has been battered by many wars in the last century, and there is much work to do to bring peace and restoration to this land. It’s an honor to work with our friends in this region to help do just that.
There's nothing like a vivid Iraqi sunset!
I think my wife is pretty amazing, willing to travel with me to places like Iraq. We love traveling together!
Overlooking one of the cities near where I travel to as part of the work for the nonprofit I help with.
Iraq is the center of some of the oldest records we have of civilization. This region was once part of the Assyrian empire, and this cliff face is carved with their gods. It was made around 2,600 years ago.
This figure is Sennacherib, the Assyrian king who had the carvings made and is also a key figure in several of the Biblical prophets such as Isaiah.
One of many camps for those internally displaced by the war with ISIS.
Many people think of Iraq as dry and barren, but in the spring some parts are positively lush.
An ancient Christian monastery. This room is carved from inside a mountain! The amount of work to make this is hard for my modern mind to grasp.
Overlook from one of the oldest monasteries in the world. This has been in continual use for roughly 1,400 years, and is quite large, with many rooms carved into the mountainside for the monks. With the invasion of ISIS it has started falling into disrepair.
Many parts of Iraq still look like this, having been destroyed by the war with ISIS. There is much work to be done still.
War is so destructive. We are trying to bring peace and restoration to a place that had seen far too much violence and death.
Filming another video from atop an Iraqi mountain. I've made more videos in this country then any other place.
