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Syria

  • Christ-Followers Living in a Battle Zone
    Syrian women praying with a VOMC worker.

    Intense fighting between Islamic State (IS) militants and government forces erupted on May 4th in Damascus, prompting media outlets to warn Christians living in the area to evacuate immediately.

    Government forces have since employed air assaults and armoured tanks to fight the militants, making it extremely dangerous for those living in the immediate area. Last month, it was reported that IS had moved into a part of Damascus that is less than a mile from several Christian neighbourhoods.

    A VOM contact, whose family lives in the area, has requested prayer for the many believers residing there. "They can't go anywhere at this point," he explained. "Pray for the safety of our family and churches all over Damascus and Syria."

    Please join our brother-in-Christ by praying for the persecuted church in Syria, specifically asking God to shield each believer from resulting danger or harm. May those who have recently fled from Damascus soon find safe havens in which to live. For others who must remain in the war-torn city, pray that they will entrust themselves and their loved ones entirely to our faithful Lord. Despite the present bleakness in this beleaguered area of the world, ask that the Holy Spirit will minister daily to Syria's suffering Christians, while also moving mightily in the hearts of those who do not yet know Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
  • Concern Continues for Abducted Christians

    Nineteen Assyrian Christians who were captured recently by members of the Islamic State (ISIS) militant group have thankfully been released. The believers were freed on March 1st. According to sources, an Islamic court may have ordered their release after "tax payments" were made on their behalf.

    The released believers were seized along with more than 200 other Christians on February 23rd in Hassaka Governorate -- an area in which there are approximately 35 predominately Christian villages. During the assault, over a thousand Christians were forced to flee their homes to escape the militants. Grave concerns remain for the hundreds of Christ-followers who are still being held by ISIS.

    Let us first thank the Lord for the safe release of these 19 Christians! Pray that He will now heal and restore each one of them after experiencing this horrifying ordeal. May the others who have been kidnapped also soon be released. Until that time, ask that their hearts be shielded from fear or doubt. Pray also that the abducted believers will serve as effective witnesses of the Gospel to their captors, so that many of the militants will come to know Jesus Christ as their own Saviour and Lord.
  • Elderly Church Leader Murdered in Homs

    Father Frans van der Lugt, a 75-year-old Dutch priest who had lived and worked in Syria for more than 40 years, was murdered in the city of Homs on April 7th. Father Frans was reportedly removed forcibly from his house and pulled into the garden, where he was shot twice in the head.
  • Christians Forced to Comply or 'Face the Sword'

    One of our VOM contacts shares Christ
    with an imam by using a "Gospel cube."
    Pray for the safety of him and others
    who witness despite the risks.

    Christian leaders in the city of Raqqa have reportedly signed an agreement to pay a protection tax and consent to the demands of the militant Muslim group now controlling their city.
  • Mother and Daughter Persecuted for Christian Faith

    Pray for safety of family members standing strong for the Lord.

    A Syrian mother and her daughter are under fire for their new Christian faith. Three years ago, "Karima" learned about the love of Jesus and became a devoted follower. As the married mother of three, she hoped her husband "Ismaeil," a Muslim, might also believe. Instead, he became even more devoted to his Muslim faith and trained as an imam (an Islamic spiritual leader).
  • Innocent Children Tragically Killed

    Pray for the safety of Syria’s most vulnerable.

    On November 11th, five young children were killed and many others injured when militants launched two rockets at their Christian school. The children were boarding the school bus to travel home for lunch at the time of the attack. According to VOMC sources, militants often deploy rockets at Christian sites, including schools. Through their attacks, the militants are attempting to displace Christian communities.

  • Christians Massacred in Rebel Attack

    Churches were vandalized, looted and graffitied
    with insults against Christianity.
    Photo: Barnabas Aid

    Dozens of people were killed when Islamist rebels besieged the Christian town of Sadad (northeast of Damascus). Thousands fled the violence, many with just the clothes on their backs. Those who took money, documents or other valuables were robbed. Homes, businesses, schools and other public buildings, including a hospital, were looted and destroyed; church buildings were attacked and graffitied with insults against Christianity.

  • A New Road to Damascus

    Pray for peace in Syria

    The war in Syria is one of the greatest crises experienced in the Middle East within the past 20 years. It has claimed the lives of more than 100,000 people, both Muslim and Christian. Thus far, more than two million Syrians have fled for refuge to neighbouring countries. Yet, in the midst of the crisis, members of our persecuted family in this part of the world are boldly reaching out with the love of Jesus. And the reactions of Muslims have been astonishing. Christians, once widely considered "infidels" in Syria, are now often affectionately referred to as "the Bible People."
  • Missing Clergymen Reveal Dangers Facing Christians

    Rev. Paolo Dall'Oglio
    Photo: Flickr / veDro - l'Italia al futuro

    The disappearance of an Italian Jesuit priest on July 29th, following the kidnapping of two other clergymen in April, reflects the dangers Christians are facing in this war-torn country. Rev. Paolo Dall'Oglio, who spent three decades in Syria before the government deported him last year for helping victims of President Bashar al-Assad's military crackdown, re-entered the country in late July. The reverend's disappearance comes three months after the kidnapping of the Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox archbishops of Aleppo.

    Paul Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Church, and Yohanna Ibrahim of the Syriac Orthodox Church, were kidnapped near the village of Kafr Dael on April 22nd while returning from the Turkish border on a humanitarian relief trip. The abduction happened on the road to Aleppo from the rebel-held Bab al Hawa Province, where gunmen intercepted their vehicle and killed the driver. The fate of both clergymen is still unknown.

    According to the United Nations, Syrian Christians have been vulnerable since the beginning of the civil war in 2011 which has left more than 100,000 people dead. Reportedly hundreds of believers have been kidnapped since hostilities began in 2011, and thousands more have fled the country. Many have crossed over into Lebanon or Turkey where they await legal or illegal means to reach Europe and obtain political asylum. To review a previous report on the crisis, click here.

    Pray that the Lord would be a shield to the multitudes of innocent people who are caught in the cross fire between the forces of good and evil. Ask for His divine protection and strength to be upon all of His faithful servants (including those mentioned above) who are boldly taking a stand for righteousness; mediating on behalf of those being persecuted; serving as His hands, feet and voice by carrying out various humanitarian efforts; and bringing His hope, comfort, encouragement and healing to those who are suffering greatly in this troubled land.
  • Offering Hope in the Midst of Civil War

    Pray for protection amidst civil unrest in Syria.
    Photo: Flickr / FreedomHouse

    Fortunately, there are Christians in Syria who can remain hopeful despite the increasingly difficult circumstances, a VOM contact reports. Syrians are still facing continual threats from snipers and mortars. During the month of June, dozens of mortars fell around the building where our ministry representative lives. He further explains that many destitute people are left begging, searching in the rubbish and seeking for a place to stay. Compounding this dire situation, the value of the Syrian pound continues to drop. (For past country reports, check the Syria Country Report.)

    Yet, in the midst of these difficulties, our dedicated worker also has some good news to share.... Fellow Christians in Syria are being offered needed help and hope. His church is still holding Bible studies, youth meetings, prayer meetings, medical clinics and Sunday church services. In addition, this VOM-supported ministry work is distributing packages of food staples, as well as basic hygiene products.

    While we can be thankful for the compassionate response of caring believers in this part of the world, and the faithfulness of those serving on the front lines there in Syria, as members of God's global family, we all need to unite our hearts together in fervent prayer. This includes interceding for the country's political leaders and citizens. Please pray that many more Syrians will come to Christ, and that the previously mentioned church will continue to be a catalyst of God's transforming work in lives while serving as a centre for peace in the midst of chaos. The Bible reminds us that "...everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Acts 2:21).

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