(Photo by Baptist Global Response)
Syria (BGR/MNN) — Winter’s bitter cold leaves many Syrian refugees struggling to stay warm, huddled next to makeshift outdoor fires. Baptist Global Response is working to aid these people–body, soul, and mind.
The ongoing civil war is especially hard on the children. Half of Syria’s two million refugees are children; three-fourths of them are under the age 11.
One family was at home when a mortar hit the house. The Syrian army was attacking opposition forces that had arrived in their village. The rebels already had attacked the local church and kidnapped Christians. There was very little food, water, or medicine left in the village. Families with any amount of money had already left. Things had gotten so bad that the family’s four daughters could never go outside. They were afraid to leave, but they also were scared to stay home. The family eventually fled to a neighboring country as well. The father said, “There is no life left in Syria.”
Syrian refugee families experience many problems: lack of security, poverty, inflationary prices, overcrowding and lack of proper housing, insanitary conditions, chronic diseases, and children missing out on school. BGR and its partners are assisting displaced families inside Syria, as well as refugees in neighboring countries. While the families are grateful for the aid they receive, they also struggle with the loss of dignity that comes with having to accept handouts from others.
Pray that the love Christians are shedding on these people would lead many to know the love of Christ. Pray for the refugees’ safety.
If you’d like to help the work being done for these refugees, click here.
