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VOM is distributing practical and spiritual aid.

On Saturday, July 4th, an Iraqi Franciscan priest, Fr. Dhiya Aziz, was abducted by militants in Yacoubieh, Idlib province, which is located in northwest Syria. The area is presently under the control of Jabhat al-Nusra, a terrorist group with links to al-Qaeda. Thankfully, more recent reports indicate that he has since been safely released.

However, prior to the abduction, advances by Islamic State terrorists took place in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasaka on June 24th. This has resulted in further mass displacement of refugees, including Assyrian Christian families who had sought refuge in the city just this past February.

Christian leaders in the Middle East are now calling for renewed and urgent prayers for peace. Some feel frustrated by what they perceive as lack of support from the church in the West. Patriarch Louis Sako of Baghdad recently stated, "We feel forgotten and isolated."

Please uphold our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East who are under mounting pressure from Islamist terrorists. Ask our Almighty God to continue strengthening His dedicated servants as they provide needed relief to the tremendous number of displaced refugees in this part of the world. In keeping with our Lord's desire for all humanity, may there be an end to the violence and bloodshed so that His love and peace can reign supreme -- not only politically but, most importantly, in the hearts of those He so lovingly created.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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."

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.