Syrian defections prove chaos reigns

(Images courtesy EFCA) Syria

Syria (MNN) ― Over the weekend, the Assad regime took some serious hits in Syria.

"The measures of uncertainty as senior government officials are leaving kind of points in the direction of destabilization," says Mark Lewis, TouchGlobal Director (humanitarian wing of the Evangelical Free Church). The latest reports indicate Syria's prime minister and his family defected to Jordan.

A senior U.S. official says it appears that at least three other top government ministers also left, and rebels bombed a government-run television studio. An American official traveling with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Africa called on other senior members of the Syrian government and military to break with President Bashar Assad.

Clinton will stop in Turkey for talks on Syria in four days' time. In the meantime, the government unleashed its fury on Aleppo. In Damascus, the regime's grip on the city was challenged by guerilla warfare-styled attacks, executed by militia.

Although some news reports cite these events as proof that Assad's regime is "crumbling," Lewis says they've heard this before. The message their team hears is far from "it's almost over." "We sense that there is just going to be a continued season of instability in the country. It may even last for years as a new government comes in. Then, people will [say] 'this is what I wanted,' and there'll be more uprisings or transition. It just seems like a situation that is going to be uncertain and destabilized for a continued period of time."

The Evangelical Free Church, in partnership with other ministries and local churches, has been responding to the crisis. Lewis says, "On the Jordanian side, we're hearing 1000 people a day are leaving Syria and crossing into Jordan. And I would expect those numbers are probably similar in Lebanon, but I don't have any specific numbers."

The bigger picture: two million Syrians are affected by the conflict, including 1 million internally displaced people. As many as 130,000 Syrians are living as refugees in neighboring countries, according to UNOCHA Humanitarian Bulletin, Issue 05, 3 Aug 2012.

Many refugees are living in primitive conditions, Lewis notes. "[We're] seeking to get blankets, food and other basic supplies into people's hands as they figure out what life is going to look like in the next days, weeks, or months."

For those left in Syria, water, and electricity have been scarce, and the factories have laid off most of the people. Food and goods have more than doubled in price, and in many areas there has been fighting in the streets . 

Yet God has their partners in position to take relief into the desperate people trying to survive. Lewis explains, "Our ministry partners are on the ground doing a whole lot of outreach and pre-evangelism, relationship building. Our hope is that, long-term, this will lead to a great church-planting opportunity."

That's not necessarily an unrealistic goal. Lewis says, "Disciple-making efforts can occur within a refugee population. Eventually, those people would be able to go back home, and there could be this 'seeding' of the church. That's kind of a long-term vision."

$50 provides food for a family for a month. ReachGlobal's goal is to raise at least $30,000 to allow their partners to serve 600 families. $10 provides a blanket: they're trying to raise enough funds to get 500 blankets into the refugee camps. 

What else can you do? You can pray. Lewis asks for prayer for safety for their partners. Also, "Pray for a fresh openness of the Gospel. People's hearts can either be hardened, or the Lord will work in them and there will be an openness as they seek answers to questions like, 'Why now?'"

Another bloody day in Syria saps hope

Post gun battle, city of Douma. (Photo courtesy Douma Revolution)

Syria (ODM) ― Cars, taxis, and buses fill the streets of Damascus. Shops are opened as usual, and people walk everywhere. Life is continuing as usual in the Syrian capital.

But at night, you can hear the shelling of the suburbs of the city. At several spots in the city, roads are blocked because of bombs that have exploded there during the last few months. The situation in Syria, even in the relatively peaceful city of Damascus, is far from normal.

A team of workers with Open Doors visited this country which, even according to Syrian President Assad, is at civil war. Fighting in the country has already been waging for 16 months with no sign of peace. The violence is paralyzing the economy. Many Syrians have lost jobs. As a result, many church members are unemployed.

That crisis brings Christians closer to God is the conviction of several Christian leaders in the country. They shared this when the Open Doors workers visited them.

"It was very encouraging to see how they stand strong, how they trust God that He will use the current crisis for the expansion of His Kingdom," one of the workers said.

A pastor of a Protestant church said: "My wife and I feel that it is the right time for us to be here. We can support people and families, answer questions, and reach out. Also for the church it is a great opportunity to actively reach out and be present in the society. We see open hearts to receive the Gospel."

There is a 24-7 prayer and fasting campaign taking place. "We think this is a special time also for the church, and we believe this will help in the salvation of people in our city and in our land," the pastor adds.

When visiting another church, the pastor shared: "Before the situation went as extreme as it is now, we saw the churches breaking up, and we feared for that. Now in this situation, after the tragedies, we are getting together and praying more intimately. It is encouraging for us to see."

The pastor gave an example of how some church members are reacting: "Yesterday, a member of the church went to the commercial bank. There was a long line [of people] waiting in front of the bank. He prayed in his heart how to reach them and then felt that he should just step out of the line and share. He went to the front, held the Gospel up high and said; 'This is the Gospel, the Word of God, and it will bring you eternal life. Who wants to read it? If you want one I give it to you.' He gave away all 20 of the Bibles he had with him."

But in some churches, it is reported that Christians either have left the country or are thinking of leaving Syria. The co-worker states: "A bishop we met told that me he already brought valuable things from his church to a safe place. He said, "But I am to live here, not to leave. When the violence gets to our city, the members of my church might flee; I hope that I will get the courage to stay and leave as the last.'"

In the last 16 months, many Syrians have left their homes in the cities where the civil war is fought between the Free Syrian Army and the government troops. Most of the Christians seem want to stay in the country. From Homs, for example, they fled especially to the so-called "Christian Valley" in Syria, west of Homs and Hama. Several churches are helping the refugees in Damascus and the other places they fled to and others in Homs. Open Doors is supporting the relief operation, partnering with churches. Hundreds of refugee families are receiving food and hygiene parcels, medical assistance, and other help.

An Open Doors worker says; "Many families rent an apartment together with several other families to share the costs. We have visited an apartment where four families--16 persons in total--are living in two rooms. They really depend on the help they get from the churches."

The situation in and around Homs continues to be very dangerous. Almost daily the city and its surroundings are shelled. But even there, the church still is present.

For example, the pastor of an evangelical church stayed in the city. "We heard of him and three priests that have stayed in the city of Homs," one of the Open Doors workers said. "The pastor and his wife are doing a wonderful job there. He is a doctor and is going to the clinic. He does not work there every day, but is present for those who show up and need help. He visits a home for elderly people and does a lot of visits. Every Sunday, he opens the church for the few Christians in the neighborhood who are left. Also other people come to the church. His wife is very active, too. They risk their lives doing so."

According to Open Doors sources, there are still Christian families living in Homs, but about 90% of the Christians have left.

Death, danger stalk Syrian Christian ministry

Syria (CAM) ― An indigenous missionary from nearby Lebanon crossed the border to baptize a believer last week. Instead, he had to bury the believer -- shot in the head as a martyr for his recently-found faith in Jesus Christ.

Native missionaries continue to share Gospel CD's, baptizing new believers, and delivering food and medical aid to suffering Christians in Syria while violence rages around them. More help is needed each day according to one of the ministries in Syria being assisted byChristian Aid Mission based in Charlottesville, Virginia. A Lebanese team is preparing to deliver more aid as soon as funds arrive from the USA to buy supplies at the local market.*

"Right now," said the missionary leader at his base in Lebanon," there is no food or medicine left. The economy has come to a standstill, and there is no work." Many Christians are sick and starving, along with other minorities such as the Bedouins and Gypsies.

"This has been one of the longest weeks of my life," the missionary told Christian Aid. "To visit Syria, I had to sneak in through the mountains and not go by normal roads.

"I went there to bury a friend who died last week. I was supposed to be baptizing him, but I ended up doing his funeral. I led him to Christ two years ago. He was a key helper in the ministry. He was shot in the head. Why? Because he had become a Christian. Now revenge is taking place."

The slain Christian had been witnessing to many friends and neighbors and had led a growing house church that met in his home with 43 other believers. He was actively involved in delivering aid to some 600 Syrian Christians in his area.

"Lots of people came to the funeral. In the beginning, I did not know how to start the service. Then I decided to share some letters of encouragement from the churches. I invited several of the believers to read in front of the meeting. They were so encouraged to know that they are not alone. By the time we were done, there were tears of joy instead of sadness. As it says in the Word, when one member suffers, all suffer."

The Lebanese leader of the mission is preparing now to go back to Syria with Bibles, CD's, food and medicine. He listed the following needs:

About 80 food packages and a small amount of cash; $150 per family or $12,000 total.

About $6000 for emergency surgeries, medicines and basic medical supplies.

$4 each for 2000 New Testaments in Arabic; total $8000.

$1.70 for each Gospel CD; 20,000 needed, or $34,000.
"Yesterday," he said, "I was harassed by local authorities. "You know what this tells me? Simply that I am doing the right thing. I feel every time we move forward, Satan tries to stop us. That is why I want to continue-- especially now when we have more people coming to Christ and being baptized. I will not stop until I am with Jesus."

Lebanese Christians are ministering on both sides of the border with Syria, welcoming refugees into their homes and church buildings at considerable risk. Lebanese believers are trying to help with basic needs such as food, housing, and medicine as funds permit. Rent for a refugee family can run as high as $800 a month.

*Offerings for the suffering believers of Syria are being collected by phone at 800-977-5650 or by Christian Aid Mission at www.ChristianAid.org. Aid for Syrian relief should be designated for Gift Code 400REF.

Syria in Disarray

(Photos by Douma Revolution)

Mission Network News: "Syria (ODM/MNN) ― Syria was wracked with protests beginning Friday--another manifestation of the upheaval since  the anti-government movement began 14 months ago.

Jerry Dykstra, spokesman with Open Doors USA, says despite an April ceasefire, "Things are breaking apart. We've seen that with the twin car blasts in Damascus that killed 55 outside of the Syrian Intelligence Compound on Thursday, and other bombings also.""

Read more...

Syria failing to meet ceasefire conditions

Syria (MNN) ― Syria and the United Nations finally agreed on the framework for observers monitoring a shaky ceasefire.

The three-month mission will be to monitor the cessation of hostilities that began on April 12 and the implementation of the Annan plan.

Since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's regime erupted in March 2011, more than 11,000 people have been killed, with more than 120 dying since the truce came into force.

In what was optimistically called an "Arab Spring," some changes did occur. Certain laws restricting the people were lifted. However, as protests continued, the Syrian government responded with military force resulting in thousands being killed and tens of thousands being displaced from their homes.

Many fled for camps along the borders of Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon.

As a result, Operation Mobilization says people are struggling to feed their families. Shops can barely keep any products in stock because many roads are blocked. In addition, thousands of Syrians are fleeing into Turkey or camping on the Syrian side of the border.

In the midst of this destruction, communities of Syrian believers are on the frontlines of bringing help and hope to their own people, according to Operation Mobilization. These followers of Jesus are reaching out to those who are starving and hurting by providing food packets and sharing God's love.

$75 will provide a food packet which will feed an extended family for one month. None know what the next few years will hold for Syria and its people, but they do know that the Arab world is crying out for something new. Please consider how you can help. Find the link at our Featured Links Section.