Syria (MNN) — As the drums of war grow louder, Syrians are drawing near to Christ.
The ball is now in the U.N.’s court, so to say, following Britain’s official call for military action against Syria. Western nations including the U.S., U.K. and France are pushing for a military reprimand to Syria’s use of chemical warfare against its own people.
Nour Botros, guest blogger and host of Just For You – Syria. (Image courtesy SAT-7)
“We’ve always said we want the U.N. Security Council to live up to its responsibilities on Syria,” said a statement from U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron’s office. “Today we are giving its permanent members the opportunity to do that.”
On the opposite side of the table, Syria and its allies claim innocence.
“We are not wrongdoers,” Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, told reporters early yesterday afternoon. “We are a peaceful nation seeking stability. The Syria government is totally innocent of these accusations.”
Russia and Iran, Syria’s strongest allies, insist no action should be taken until U.N. officials have finished their inspection in Damascus and announce their findings.
As posturing and a “war of words” continues on the international stage, Syrians on-the-ground are desperate for hope.
According to SAT-7, a Christian satellite television ministry to the Middle East and North Africa, people in key Syrian cities of Damascus, Aleppo and Homs only get four hours of electricity a day.
They’re connecting their televisions to generators to watch a SAT-7 ARABIC program called Just for You – Syria. Hosted by native Syrian believer Nour Botros, the show is broadcast from Lebanon every Tuesday.
“They are making the effort to watch us under the wire and with many dangers,” says Botros in a recent SAT-7 blog. “To have a group watching and praying like that — I think that is really incredible.”
Just for You – Syria ministers to the people of Syria through worship and prayer, introducing the hope of Jesus Christ to many. A recent highlight occurred when a viewer named Rami*asked Botros to pray on the air for his kidnapped family member.
Kidnappings have been one of the most distressing aspects of the Syrian conflict for families. Too many families have suffered the agony of not knowing the fate of their relatives, fearing the worst.
But not all kidnappings end tragically. During several episodes, Botros prayed for Rami’s missing family member. Viewers anxiously awaited news of the outcome until, finally, he was freed.
Rami’s cousin said that although the family had grown distant from God, the trial they experienced with the kidnapping drew them closer together and closer to Him.
A Syrian living in Egypt testified that, as she saw this answer to prayer play out on television, it restored her dwindling hope for Syria.
Please join SAT-7 in prayer for all those affected by the Syrian conflict. Pray families of those kidnapped will be reunited with their loved ones soon. Pray the Gospel brings hope and strength to Syrians.
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