As the threat of ISIS swept the Nineveh plain and stories of extreme Christian persecution spread, some chose to leave while others chose to stay. In a small community of 5,000, the story was no different. Today the Christian population is half of what it once was and has been replaced by bullet marked or complete collapsed houses. Some that have left, without any intention of returning, recently gave their property to their former church…and the church is using these gifts to shine more brightly and open their doors even wider than before. A community kitchen to serve the needy has already been completed. Missionary homes are in the works. And a new youth center is underway for the children that are currently meeting in the pastor’s office. It is here that a new playground just made too much sense. Assisted by the church’s Secondary School students, the build took just two days to complete. Despite to confined space and the challenging ground, the final outcome was a (supremely tall) thing of beauty.