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'They Have No Other Help': High Risk Missionary and Team Rescue Persecuted Christians in Iraq

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From the war-torn Middle East to the silent suffering of military veterans in the United States, one former US Marine is changing lives all over the world – and he's giving all of the glory to God.
 
Victor Marx served in the Marine Corps during the 80's, before the wars in the Middle East. Little did he know, he would deploy years later to the region as a missionary where his battlefield experience would come in handy.
 
Marx is the founder of "All Things Possible Ministries"  which is a faith-based organization that performs what it describes as "high-risk missions work" on a global scale to free children from abuse and the effects of trauma.
 
His team has worked with thousands of young ISIS victims in northern Iraq where few missionaries are allowed to travel.
 
"They have no other help, there are no social services, there is no other help," Marx told CBN News. "We realize at that point, the prayers they are praying, we are the ones who could actually be an answer to those prayers."
 
Marx, whose team has helped free and relocate dozens of Christians, is about to embark on his 9th deployment to deliver comfort toys to children and dignity kits to women in the region.
 
The toys include "Lions & Lambs" stuffed animals that play cultural songs and prayers in their native language. More than 30,000 have been donated to people of the Middle East.
 
Marx's K9 protector and companion, Scout, also doubles as a therapy dog and will minister to the children one-on-one.
 
The ministry is currently building its first orphanage in the area and operates the Third Option program where local leaders can receive specialized resources for dealing with ISIS.
   
"The thousands we have been able to help, we know God has placed us there for a reason," Marx said.
 
To date, All Things Possible has relocated over 40 persecuted Christians specifically targeted by ISIS.
 
Last year, Marx received a congressional commendation during the Special Order session on the floor of the House of Representatives by US Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) who thanked Marx and his ministry for "trying to make a better world."
 
"Mister Victor Marx is a man dedicated to spreading the great truth, that even in the face of hate and violence, the love of God can heal even the most wounded among us," Franks said.
 
During his speech, Franks referenced scripture to recognize the godly work Marx and his missionary team are doing, citing which reads:
 "The wolf also should lie down with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them."
 
"Victor Marx and All Things Possible Ministries have brought this powerful imagery to life in a very touching way," Franks said. "It should encourage all of us to relentlessly pursue the day when the light of hope will fall across all of the lonely faces of God's children all over this world."
 
Marx also helps veterans just like himself overcome PTSD.
  
"I, myself, have gone through it through issues in my childhood, which is a cause of a lot of acute PTSD later in life, people often don't know or understand. Even for combat vets a lot of it was associated with their youth," Marx said.
 
Marx's own trauma started at age 5 when he was abused by his stepfather and left for dead. After recovering, he suffered a dysfunctional childhood attending 14 schools, living in 17 different houses and watching his mother marry six times.
 
Years later, those suppressed issues led him to nearly take his own life.
 
Victor says instead of a tragic ending, God used those experiences to help him reach others.
  
"I understood the depth of suffering and pain and literally torture.. and God has been so faithful to me to help restore me, my mind, that we just developed a really simple approach of healing for those who suffered from PTSD," Marx said.
 
All Things Possible produced two films, which help vets overcome day to day battles they face with themselves and their families.
 
The videos, Triggered and Triggered Too, are available for free online, but Marx also takes them to show at military bases.
  
"They're both very powerful. They're made for people who don't want to watch a short film or documentary on PTSD...but they're effective," Marx said. "It works, and we're very grateful to God for that."
 
The ministry also creates workbooks that can be taken on deployment to use in small groups on the front lines.
   
"God gets all the glory for this, but I'm happy to give some credit to the Marine Corps and to the people who pray for us and support the work, it's pretty stunning," Marx said.
 
Marx is also an author, speaker, and renowned martial arts expert.

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