A Christian Iraqi family is faced with a difficult decision but say they still believe in miracles.

Six years ago, Wisam and his wife Maysam left Iraq for Wisam to earn his Ph.D. at Virginia Commonwealth University. During their stay, they had two children, Miriam and John.

John has been diagnosed with an incredibly rare genetic syndrome.

"The most difficult part for me, seeing my child suffering," says John's mother, Maysam Daryos.

"And I cannot imagine losing him, it's very difficult," added John's father Wisam Toma.

At six months old, John contracted a viral infection that took nearly two months to leave his body and left him with no appetite. Ulcers were later found in his stomach along with fluid in his lungs. While his appetite had not returned, doctors inserted a feeding tube.

John then began to have unexplained seizures, kidney stones, and abnormal growth.

After months of tests, doctors at the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU diagnosed the small boy with a genetic disorder called Nicolaides Barraitser syndrome.

A doctor at VCU says there are only 75 cases of this syndrome in the world.

The treatment needed for this syndrome is not available back in Iraq, says John's parents. It would seem obvious the family would stay in the United States. 

Unfortunately, Wisam signed a government contract to receive the scholarship to earn his Ph.D. abroad.

"The agreement is if the student doesn't come back home he's going to have to pay back all his due in a lump sum," Wisam said.

The family would owe $300,000 to the Iraqi government. That is money the family says they do not have.

The government has also rejected the family's proposal to pay back them in small sums.

The family has since started a GoFundMe but are not yet close to their goal.

Maysam says, "As Christians, we always hold our cross and walk everywhere, like in Psalm 23 'even though I walk in the shadow of death I will fear no evil because You are with me.

"We have faith in God, we believe in God and we believe in miracles," says Wisam.