Chapter 1

Hello and thanks for clicking on my story. :) This story is based upon the Book of Ruth in the Bible. However it is set in modern times, and given what has been happening in the middle east in recent years with the brutality of the Islamic State, I decided to make Ruth an Iraqi Christian, instead of ancient Moabite (which today would be call Jordanian). I wanted to make this story a tribute to the unshakeable courage and faith of our Christian brothers and sisters in the middle east who have been willing even to die for the cause of Christ. There will be violence present in the beginning but it will be nothing hopefully too graphic for you guys and the story will be rated T. The story is inspired by events that actually happened in Northern Iraq though the characters of the story are fictional. PLEASE don't forget to review, I enjoy hearing your thoughts! And now, without further adieu, let us begin our tale. :)

Qaraqosh, Northern Iraq

June, 2014

Ruth's POV:

The sunlight streamed through the open window, and the gentle breeze wafted beneath the sheets of the bed, providing welcome relief from the stifling summer heat snaking it's way towards us for another day. I shifted position, being careful not to disturb the man who lay next to me, in order to avoid the direct glare of the torturous Iraqi sun in my eyes. Maalik groaned in his sleep and shuffled about for a moment or two before resuming his peaceful slumber. I sat up and gazed upon his face, so content in his rest as if he were in heaven. A grin slowly appeared on my face as I watched my husband, who to my delight still seemed oblivious to the fact that I was doing so. It had become somewhat of a personal joke between us, seeing as he had always been the first of the two of us to wake up in the morning and the last to fall asleep at night ever since we were married three years ago. He didn't make fun of me for it in an unkind way, just in a playful, cheerful manner. He was a good husband to me, kind, gentle, encouraging and patient, not to mention hardworking and brave. I loved him and thanked God everyday for the amazing gift that was Maalik. When we had met all those years ago, our friendship was forced to remain secret because my Father had forbidden me to see him as he was a Christian and I was raised a Muslim. Maalik was the first to teach me of the one True God and our merciful Savior Jesus Christ. At first I had been scared and doubtful, due to the fact that if I were caught on the mere suspicion of converting I could well have faced the death penalty.

"To be a Christian is shameful and blasphemous Ruth" my father had told me over and over again. He'd been furious when he'd caught us talking on the streets of Baghdad the first time we'd met. Yet, Maalik had convinced me of the truth of his faith and after two years of learning about Christ in secrecy, I converted and not long after Maalik had asked me to marry him. My family had washed their hands clean of me after I had told them of my conversion. My father had slapped me so hard that blood had come from my mouth, and proceeded to throw me from the house onto the road. Maalik had been furious when I came to his apartment later that day (as I had nowhere else to go), with the bruises, and wanted to have my Father jailed but he could not because of the prejudice of the Muslim authorities against him.

The same day, for my safety and the fact that it was God's law that we not be living together before we were wed, Maalik sent for his brother (and most trusted friend) Cadi, and his mother Naomi, to take me to their home in the town of Qaraqosh, with Maalik following in a week or two. I had taken an instant liking to my then future mother-in-law. Her down to earth manner and motherly concern and care kept me calm when I worried for Maalik the whole week, something my own mother, a strict Muslim like my Father and who had cut off all contact with me (like everyone else in the family), had never done. Naomi was a Norwegian aid worker who decided to stay in Iraq after meeting her husband, Emir, a native of Qaraqosh. They owned a farm just outside the town, and Naomi had entertained me with delightfully funny stories about having to adjust to farm life when before she had been working as a Doctor. They made me laugh so hard that my stomach hurt afterwards.

Maalik had told me similar stories containing equally as much humor during our secret meetings, like the one time he tried to milk a cow but ended up getting kicked and falling face first into a pile of manure when he was thirteen.

In due course Maalik did arrive home and we were wed in the Catholic Church in Qaraqosh, one of the happiest days of my life.

"I can feel you staring" Maalik suddenly muttered good naturedly, eyes still closed and bringing me out of my stroll down memory lane.

"Really, well it seems for once that I am up before you" I teased playfully. Maalik did open his eyes this time.

"Who says I didn't let you?" the side of his mouth twitching into a grin as he moved closer.

"After five years I think I know my husband better than that."

"Oh do you?" he suddenly pulled me to him, causing me to squeak in laughter and holding me gently under him as he kissed me. I never wanted to leave, wanting this moment to last forever. Yet, there were chores to be done, the farm would not take care of itself.

"Maalik" I murmured after a few more kisses, "we have to go." Maalik sat back reluctantly on his haunches so I could sit up. I untangled myself from the sheets and hurriedly dressed, knowing Naomi would probably have breakfast on the table right now and I didn't want to make her, Emir, Cadi and his wife Omera wait for us.

"Ruth?"

"Yes?" I turned to face him as I finished tying my hair in a ponytail. When my hands were free, Maalik gently tossed a small brown sack to me.

"What's this?" I grinned.

Maalik walked over from his position at the other side of the room and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"A little gift for the most beautiful woman in the world." I opened the small sack and, tipping it over my hand, a beautiful cross slid onto my palm. It was covered in green stones and golden material coated the edges of the outside, matching the gold-colored chain from which the cross hung perfectly.

"Maalik" I gasped, "it's beautiful. You did not have to do this."

"Oh yes I did, because you deserve it." He kissed my cheek.

"Here. May I?" he asked, taking the necklace from me and indicating that he wished to put it on me himself.

"Of course." I turned around and lifted my hair away slightly to make it easier for him. The cool chain graced my neck as Maalik finished clasping it in the back.

I turned back toward him.

"How do I look?" I held out my arms.

"Beautiful as always." I glanced over in the mirror, and was pleasantly surprised to see it looked perfect.

"Thank you Maalik."

"Now no matter what happens, you'll always have a way to be close to me." I hugged him tight and he embraced me back, placing his hand gently on the back of my head.

"I love you."

"I love you too Ruth." When we broke apart his playful grin returned to his face.

"I guess we'd best not keep the others waiting too long, you know how Cadi is about food."

I giggled, knowing full well the veracious appetite of my brother in law.

"Perhaps it would be best" I replied and we made our way downstairs.

###

Naomi was just setting the last of the breakfast dishes on the table when Maalik and I entered the kitchen. Scrambled eggs, bread, cheese, and an assortment of fruits were laid out in front of the already present Emir, Cadi, and Omera.

"Good morning Ruth. Good morning Maalik" Naomi greeted cheerfully, kissing both of us on our cheeks.

"Did you sleep well last night?"

"Yes, very well thank you Mother." I had taken to calling Naomi Mother now, and only referred to the woman who had given me birth by her first name, as Naomi was more of a Mother to me than she was.

The rest of the family called their greetings from the table. I made my way over to Emir and kissed his cheek.

"How are you feeling this morning Father? Can I get you anything? You looked tired." Emir's back had been troubling him for a while now, as he was getting on years, and sometimes he struggled to walk without a cane. Yet, despite it all, he remained as ever cheerful and kind as Naomi was.

"No thank you Ruth, I'll manage."

"I'll take some more coffee please Ruth if you don't mind" Cadi asked politely, holding his mug up. I quickly refilled it for him, catching Maalik rolling his eyes at his brother.

"If you keep drinking coffee the way you do, we'll have to put up with you bouncing off the walls."

"Then it's a good thing we have farm work to keep him occupied" Emir jumped in humorously, cutting off any reply that Cadi might've been preparing in his defense. I set the mug down in front of him and then took my place at the opposite side of the table, next to Maalik.

"At least I arrive at the breakfast table on time."

"That's because you can never stop eating..."

Naomi glanced at me and shook her head, amused by the lighthearted bickering between her boys.

"They've been like this ever since they were children. Raising them wasn't always easy." I grinned, but my it soon faded and I looked down at my plate at the mention of raising children.

"I wouldn't know."

Naomi placed her hand over mine, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"Oh Ruth I'm sorry I didn't mean..."

"No Naomi it's not your fault" i placed my other hand on top of her.

"It will happen. I know it will. You and Maalik will be raising a family of your own soon enough I'm sure."

"I haven't conceived at all during our marriage Naomi. It has been three years, and if God willed me to have a child why would he wait this long?"

"The Lord works in mysterious ways Ruth, and we must rely on his timing and not our own, in our lives. He has a plan, we just need to trust him." I smiled sadly, feeling slightly better.

"Now enough talk. I'm hungry, let us not sit here till noon with bellies rumbling" Naomi said, returning to her normal jovial self.

I gave a short laugh in agreement as Naomi began to pass around the scrambled eggs.

As you may have noticed the names of everyone except Ruth and Naomi have been changed. Since the story is set in Iraq they would have Arabic names (except Naomi who is a foreigner) and the names used in the biblical version are Hebrew. Ruth has remained the same simply because it translates into Arabic in the same way as in the Hebrew. Here is the list of characters that have been introduced so far just for everybody's clarification:

Ruth: Ruth

Maalik: Mahlon

Naomi: Naomi

Emir: Elimelech

Omera: Orpah

Cadi: Chilion