Mar Elias stands for Saint Elijah, an Old Testament prophet. There is a shrine to Saint Elijah in Erbil, Iraq where Mar Elias church is. Mercury One and Glenn Beck visited this church and surrounding courtyard in December 2015. At the time it was being used as a refugee camp and occupied by over 1,000 Assyrian Christians.

How did the neighborhood of Ankawa in Erbil, Iraq grow from a population of 30,000 in 2011 to 100,000 in 2015?

In 2014, ISIS overtook the Nineveh province, a large area covering most of the northwestern part of Iraq that includes historic cities including Qaraqosh, Mosul, Batnay, Karemles, and other predominantly Christian towns. After ISIS took over their homes, citizens fled in droves to Erbil, a city to the east of the Nineveh province. Many of these refugees were Assyrian and Chaldean Christians, Yazidis and Muslims, who all ended up in various neighborhoods in and around Erbil.

RELATED: Nazarene Fund Donations Have Saved Almost 2,400 Christians in Iraq

One of these neighborhoods was Ankawa, a bustling area which had several Christian churches, active open markets, crosses everywhere and a statue of the Virgin Mary at the entry point to the neighborhood welcoming anyone who came to the area. Generally speaking, it’s a very urban and western feeling area. There is an air of commerce, bumper to bumper traffic, a nightlife, and an engaged community. Ankawa is an anchor point for the Chaldean Catholic community in Iraq.

The neighborhood of Ankawa swelled to 100,000… that is more than triple the people living in the community. Tens of thousands of people arrived to the capital city of Erbil. The government was already financially burdened with the war and they could not provide enough resources to care for these displaced people. Many who journeyed into Erbil were Assyrian Catholics and they made their way to the churches in Ankawa and other neighboring areas seeking aid.

We talk a lot about what it means to be Christian and to live a Christian life. We could all take some cues from the residents and the Chaldean Catholic Church of Erbil and Ankawa. Instead of placing restrictions on aid or turning these people away, they opened their hearts and the neighborhood to them. The churches responded by turning their properties into refugee camps. The residents responded by welcoming and providing assistance as they could.

The refugee camps were throughout Erbil. Mar Elias is just one such camp and it is the first place that Mercury One went to assist. In December 2015, Mercury One arrived in Mar Elias (in Ankawa), where the refugees had been granted temporary permission to occupy the holy shrine and had made the square and the church a permanent home. Over 1,000 people lived in this area which is the size of a typical strip mall/retail center in the U.S. This courtyard and accompanying building had become a semi-permanent home. There was running water and a sewage system developed. A primary and a secondary school was created and the community committed to educating the children who lived here. There was a daycare. If possible (which you can imagine was extremely difficult), families were finding ways to make money. An open-air market had been organized and opened just outside of the courtyard’s gates… so a place for commerce was established.

Mar Elias had become the center of the Christian refugees in Ankawa. People from other camps would come to Mar Elias to socialize and share news. There was a volleyball court set-up that was incredibly popular, probably because it was just something so simple and normal and fun, an escape from the trauma these refugees had suffered and continued to endure. Some of the refugees were artisans and created a beautiful public art piece that serves as a war memorial for those that have been lost in this violent, bloody time.

In December Mercury One moved from Mar Elias 149 people – 62 children, 25 families – to Slovakia. This was the beginning of our ability to impact the lives of these people. But, it didn’t take long for Mercury One to understand that the best solution, and the solution desired by those who were impacted the most, the Christian and Yazidi population in the region was to find a way to stay in their homeland. We just knew that the life they were building in the Mar Elias’s courtyard and buildings was not a permanent solution. Though, the community had organized and it didn’t seem like there was a place to go.

It took almost 10 months, but by October 2016, the last refugees were cleared out and the grounds were abated, rebuilding and restoration process had begun. The refugees were resettled to private homes and apartments in and around Erbil which were funded by Mercury One.

Nearly 6 months later, Mercury One is proud, for the people of the Ankawa community, that Mar Elias has been restored. The Church is once again a place for quiet contemplation and worship. It was beautifully restored in time to host special services over Easter weekend.

On Palm Sunday, Mar Elias was packed with locals and refugees to mark the beginning of Holy Week.

Republished with permission from MercuryOne.org.

Nick Adams, author and founder of FLAG, the Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness, joined Glenn on radio for an inspiring interview about his new non-profit foundation that is reaching students across America about the greatness of the country they live in.

"I go and tell these kids that the day they were born in the United States of America is the day that they won the lottery of life, and they got a head start on everyone. And I beg them, I beseech them to never, ever bind to this false narrative by the left that America is this bigoted and awful place. This is a country of unlimited opportunities," Adams said.

In addition to the success he's having with FLAG, Adams also experienced a surge in book sales thanks to the president of the United States who tweeted that Green Card Warrior

is a must-read.

Nick Adams new book, Green Card Warrior, is a must read. The merit-based system is the way to go. Canada, Australia! @foxandfriends

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2017

The tweet boosted Green Card Warrior into the top 100 books in the world in sales.

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

Glenn participated in a Facebook Live session about entrepreneurship and his journey in business. Joining him were Doc Thompson, host of The Morning Blaze on TheBlaze, and Lawrence Jones, host of The Lawrence Jones Show, also on TheBlaze. Viewers got the chance to ask questions and get Glenn's insight during the 25-minute roundtable.

Watch the video below for answers to these insightful questions and more:

• What three things would Glenn never do again?

• Who should you never go into business with?

• What's the best advice Glenn's dad ever gave him?

Toss away the labels and groupthink, and you've got a solid chance of helping a progressive believer see the light --- as long as they let reason, not emotion rule their thinking.

That's exactly what happened to Dave Rubin, host of The Rubin Report and former progressive who now calls himself a classical liberal. Rubin, who recently filmed a video with Prager U about his conversion, joined The Glenn Beck Program on Tuesday.

"I think something happened to 'progressive' in the last couple of years where it went from at least some healthy dose of true liberalism, classical liberalism and it's become just an authoritarian mess," Rubin said.

"So maybe I was a little late to the party on some of that stuff. Maybe I have just a high tolerance for some old-fashioned BS. Really, if you look back at my show for the last two years, I've spent the last two years of my life trying to get some of the good liberals to realize what's happening, and I think I succeeded at some of that. But clearly the progressives are going off the deep end."

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

"In general when I have conversations, I react to the way the question is asked. You know, I think so much of what people say is not being said, it's the way they're saying it," Patel said Friday on The Glenn Beck Program.

RELATED: Kindly Unfriend Me to My Face

Riaz, who was recently unfriended by a longtime friend on Facebook, shared great advice on how to handle relationships in our current combative political climate: Don't judge people based solely on what's happening now.

"Examine today, and the friendships and the history of people start from the past, work your way forward," he advised.

Chad Robichaux knows adversity --- and how to overcome it. In a powerful testimony, Robichaux shared his story in studio with Glenn on Thursday, recounting how he shot and killed a man as a police officer, returned from the War on Terror in Afghanistan with PTSD, but most importantly, brought his marriage and life back from the brink. As a way to help other vets, Robichaux and his wife began Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs to help other vets and families suffering from PTSD.

"Mercury One just gave a $25,000 donation yesterday to Mighty Oaks Foundation, and I want you to be involved. If you care about our servicemen and this issue, this is a great way to get involved," Glenn said.

Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs serves the brokenhearted by providing intensive peer-based discipleship through a series of programs, outpost meetings and speaking events.

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

Don't know the name Sara Breedlove? What about C.J. Walker? If not, you should. She was the first self-made female millionaire in the United States --- black or white. On this episode of hiSTORY Glenn tells the remarkable story of “Madam” C.J. Walker. The child of former slaves who grew up in the violently racist Deep South, Walker rose from poverty and abuse to blaze an inspiring trail of entrepreneurship and philanthropy that could only happen in America.

Watch the video below for a sneak peak and answers to these informative questions:

• Why did Madam C.J. Walker meet with Woodrow Wilson in the Oval Office?

• What station in life did a black woman hold in post-Civil War America?

• How did white politicians feel about their newly-elected black colleagues?

Watch the full episode, courtesy of Mercury Radio Arts.

Glenn has lived all over the United States, and he calls his current governor the best.

"There's been no governor that I think is as good as Greg Abbott. And, yeah, you can throw up Sam Houston. Whatever," Glenn said.

Not only that, Gov. Abbott is extremely efficient, having proposed to his wife on Valentine's Day 30 years ago, which earned the admiration of Glenn's co-host.

"That's really smart. And you combined two present opportunities, so you don't have to do it twice. You've got the engagement and Valentine's Day . . . that's efficiency. That's how he's running the state --- efficiently," Co-host Stu Burguiere said Tuesday on The Glenn Beck Program.

The governor joined the program to discuss his recent State of the State address, where Texas stands on a Convention of States and his thoughts on the Lone Star State ever hosting another Super Bowl.

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

"I mean, it's the closest to my heart. When I think of my wife, this is what I think of," Glenn said Tuesday on radio.

What did he get her? A custom art piece of his favorite photograph made entirely of duct tape.

The piece was done by Chance Foreman, an artist and staffer for TheBlaze.

"I want this man to be known. I think he is one of the greatest artists. . . . beautiful stuff.

To see more of Chance's work, visit ChanceForeman.org.

Enjoy the complimentary clip above or read the transcript below for details.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson joined The Glenn Beck Program on Tuesday to talk about his ongoing efforts to heal racial divides and bring people together. In addition to his book Under Our Skin, Watson will be a featured speaker at Under Our Skin: A Forum on Race and Faith, taking place this weekend in Tampa.

"What we're hoping to foster is an honest conversation. We've had conversations before, but we want this one to be one where people can come in, truth can be proclaimed. People can let their guards down. Nobody is going to get offended by honest questions. But also, we want people to leave with tangible tools in their tool belt of ways that they can, in their own spheres of influence, attack this racial problem and also see where they stand," Watson said.

Learn more about the forum at underourskinforum.org, which also features esteemed broadcaster James Brown, Hall of Fame football coach Tony Dungy and former NFL Walter Payton Man-of-the-Year award winner Warren Dunn, among others.

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

Ultrasounds are proving to be one of the most effective tools to fight abortion. The powerful images show expectant mothers exactly what's inside that might be destroyed. And a new technology that shows video is especially astounding.

"You're going to have pictures that make them look just as adorable as they do once they're born. And once that starts happening within it's going to become less and less and less popular, and you're going to be able to restrict abortions to earlier and earlier and earlier," Co-host Stu Burguiere said Friday on The Glenn Beck Program.

RELATED: Researchers Release Amazing Video of Clearest Pregnancy Ultrasound Ever Captured

A solid 80 precent of people think abortion at 20 weeks is a bad idea. In fact, the majority of Americans want more restrictions on mid- and late-term abortions.

"What's going to defeat it, I think, is going to be technology. It's not going to be people making arguments in the senate. It's going to be people who are crushed by what they think they might have done before seeing videos like this," Stu said.

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

CNN's Jake Tapper recently appear on Stephen Colbert's show where the host listed insults levied at CNN by President Donald Trump. This inspired co-hosts Pat Gray and Stu Burguiere, filling in for a sick Glenn Beck, to give a special birthday tribute to their boss.

"He's going to love this segment. Can we not air what we just did? I know it's a live show, but can we not air it to one specific household. Is that possible? Can we make the Internet go out for, you know, just a short time? Oh, by the way, we should also mention happy birthday, Glenn," Stu said.

Here is a list of insults that then candidate Donald Trump said about Glenn. Pat and Stu gave them a thumbs up or thumbs down for accuracy:

• His endorsement means nothing

• Dumb as a rock

• Crying

• Failing

• Irrelevant

• Wacko

• Failing, crying, lost soul

• Sad

• Zero credibility

• Very dumb and failing

• Mental basket case

• Viewers and ratings are way down

• A real nut job

How did they vote?

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

"I will attempt, I think, a Guinness Book of World Record here today on the program for the most consecutive days a human being has ever defended Chris Cuomo. And, of course, the record would be two," Co-host Stu Burguiere said Friday on radio.

The background here is that Chris Cuomo interview Sen. Blumenthal (D-CT), asking him about the false claim made that he'd served in Vietnam. President Trump evidently missed that portion of the interview and scolded Cuomo via Twitter about fake news, prompting the sensitive reporter to go on multiple news outlets comparing the insult to a minority hear the "N-word." Got that?

"Everyone who heard this knows he was not comparing the pain of a racial slur to saying fake news is insulting to journalists. It is not the same thing," Stu said.

Enjoy the complimentary clip above or read the transcript below for details.

Watch the full episode here: The Vault | S2:E6 – Black History Part 2

Do Your Homework

Below is a compilation of research that went into the making of this episode, complete with links to original sources so you can do your own homework. As you watch, consider the following questions:

1. How politically incorrect was Henry Garnet's sermon?

2. What four churches used the U.S. Capitol for services?

3. How does Garnet's sermon dispel common misconceptions about Thomas Jefferson?

SEGMENT 1

• USS Planter / Robert Smalls?
• Henry Hilland Garnett, his biography and the name of the sermon given at the capitol building
• Woodrow Wilson’s A History of the American People (1902)
• Glory movie historical context
• Four churches that used to meet inside the U.S. Capitol
• The Founding of the KKK
• Whites lynched between 1866 and 1962
• The Bloody Shirts (SEE PAGE 357)
• What happened at Fort Pillow?
• Read the 14th Amendment
• Abraham Lincoln suspends Habeas Corpus
• Without Sanctuary by James Allen
• Jamie Foxx’s most gifted book

SEGMENT 2

• Read the 15th Amendment
• Hide and Seek Polling Places
• Read the Enforcement Act of 1871 (Anti-Klan law)
• Civil Rights Act of 1875 *in show David says 1876
• Sumner Civil Rights Bill 1873
• 1876 House of Representatives has democratic majority

SEGMENT 3

• The Election of 1892
• What does the Secretary of the Senate do?
• What is an etcher?
• Racist Currier & Ives

SEGMENT 4

• First African-American U.S. Senator (1827-1901):Hiram Rhodes Revels
• One of the first African-Americans in the U.S. House of Representatives (1842-1884):Robert Brown Elliott
• One of the first African-Americans U.S. House of Representatives (1832-1887): Joseph Hayne Rainey
• One of the first African-Americans U.S. House of Representatives (1842-1905): Josiah Thomas Walls
• One of the first African-Americans U.S. House of Representatives (1825-1894): Benjamin Sterling Turner
• Neglected Voices

Fake news might seem like a new phenomenon but it has been a reality as long as there has ever been real news. On this episode of hiSTORY, Glenn tells the tale of an overzealous newspaper owner looking to make his mark on the world and how it spiraled out of control, leading to the explosion of race riots that sparked the devastation of Black Wall Street.

Watch the video below for a sneak peak and answers to these disturbing questions:

• What was the Tulsa Tribune's claim to fame?

• What story was going to help Richard Lloyd Jones put the Tulsa Tribune on the map?

• What misreported event led to the worsening of race relations in Tulsa?

Watch the full episode, courtesy of Mercury Radio Arts.

"Every generation is impacted by whatever's going on during their formative years. If you grew up during the Depression and the Second World War, during rations, probably you're a little miserly," Sinek said.

RELATED: Accomplishment Builds Self-esteem, Not Participation Trophies

One significant challenge facing Millennials is technology, which breeds isolation and loneliness. Ever the optimist, Sinek offered tangible ways for parents and Millennials to reverse this trend.

Enjoy the complimentary clip above or read the transcript below for details.

In the middle of a recent interview for his new movie Gold, actor Matthew McConaughey did something nearly unheard of from Hollywood: He spoke common sense about Trump.

He's our president. And it's very dynamic and as divisive of an inauguration and time that we've ever had. At the same time, it's time for us to embrace, shake hands with this fact, and be constructive with him over the next four years.

Alright, alright, alright. Finally, someone speaking common sense from Hollywood.

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

"He's a dream to argue in front of because he's the kind of judge who reads all the briefs and reads all the statutes and all the cases cited in the briefs. He's always prepared. He knows exactly where he's going," Sen. Lee said.

Senator Lee went so far as to say Gorsuch's briefs are interesting and fun to read.

"Let's just clarify. That is Mike Lee that just said these are fun to read. So, kids, don't rush out there. It's Mike saying that," Glenn joked.

Enjoy the complimentary clip above or read the transcript below for details.

"I've known Pat since 1989. Never saw this coming," Glenn said Tuesday on radio.

What happened that shocked Glenn so much?

"I said I liked La La Land," Pat admitted.

Gulp. Glenn was right about everything. There will be a time when nothing makes sense, when up is down and left is right. God help us.

Enjoy the complimentary clip above or read the transcript below for details.

A controversy of sorts reared its ugly head today on The Glenn Beck Program. The coin toss at Super Bowl LI was done by none other than George H.W. Bush, 41st president of the United States and the oldest living president. While Glenn thought it was a great moment for the former president, co-hosts Pat Gray and Jeff Fisher believed the moment fell flat, putting the 91-year-old Bush in a not-so-flattering situation.

"He's not healthy enough to have that moment right now. He's just not. He just got out of the hospital," Pat said.

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

In Glenn's case, it also makes a man miss the greatest Super Bowl of all time: The first time a quarterback has ever won five Super Bowls. The first overtime ever in a Super Bowl. The greatest comeback in Super Bowl history.

Watch the complimentary video above or read the transcript for details.

Once again, the media misled us with fake news. But they also missed the most important message in Lady Gaga's presser: How to achieve the American Dream.

Watch the complimentary video above for details.

Best Super Bowl of all time?

— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) February 6, 2017

In anticipation of this year’s breakfast, let’s take a final trip down memory lane to Glenn’s 2016 interviews with football greats about character, faith and football. Watch the clip above featuring two-time Super Bowl champion, NFL legend and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach.

Watch the 2017 Super Bowl Breakfast on-demand at TheBlaze.com/TV.

Editor's Note: The following is posted on SuperBowlBreakfast.com where you can learn more about the event that celebrates outstanding character and leadership in the NFL by awarding one exceptional player the Bart Starr Award.

The New England Patriots probably didn’t know what a treasure they were signing when they chose Matthew Slater with the 153rd pick of the 2008 NFL Draft, but it’s a decision they haven’t likely regretted. For the past six seasons, Slater’s teammates have elected him captain of special teams where his stellar performance has named him to the Pro Bowl each year.

Slater has been a leader and a positive example to his team both on and off the field. After every game, win or lose, he leads his team in prayer as the stands empty and the lights go down. His teammates admire his poise and professionalism as well as his humble adherence to his faith, striving to be like him as both a football player and a man.

RELATED: Watch Matthew Slater receive the Bart Starr Award at the Super Bowl Breakfast this Saturday --- live, on-demand at TheBlaze TV.

He is highly involved in the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, partnering with many organizations such as Play 60, Make-A-Wish, and Read between the Lines. Slater received the Ron Burton Community Service Award in 2016 for his dedication to the community of New England; he looks at football as a vehicle God has given him to reach people. He recruited some of his fellow Patriots to attend his “Matthew vs. Matthew” charity event this past October, a dinner and raffle to benefit Samaritan’s Purse in their relief efforts following Hurricane Matthew.

RELATED: Watch Matthew Slater receive the Bart Starr Award at the Super Bowl Breakfast this Saturday --- live, on-demand at TheBlaze TV.

Slater’s father, Jackie Slater, received the Bart Starr Award in 1996, making the Slaters the first father-son duo to ever win the award. Growing up, Matthew Slater’s mother would drop him and his brother at church on Sundays and pick them up a bit early to watch his father’s NFL games. Slater certainly had a wonderful example of leadership and character to look up to in his childhood that paved the way for his later success.

Slater and his wife, Shahrzad, have a one-year-old son, Jeremiah.

In anticipation of this year’s breakfast, we're taking a trip down memory lane to Glenn’s 2016 interviews with football greats about character, faith and football. Watch our second clip above, featuring Super Bowl champion, author and Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy, as well as MVP from the first two Super Bowls, Hall of Famer Green Bay Packers quarterback Bart Starr.

RELATED: Super Bowl Breakfast Flashback: Glenn Talks Faith and Character With Football Great Brent Jones

Watch the 2017 Super Bowl Breakfast on-demand at TheBlaze.com/TV.

Who is going to win the Super Bowl? https://t.co/HDAb1DYxKG

— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) February 3, 2017