Syria (MNN) — Today marks the 12th year of war in Syria. What began as a violent crackdown on Arab Spring protests escalated into a multifaceted proxy war.
A believer we’ll call Ben* says, “When the war began, most people believed it would last a short while, but then it went on and on.”
The Syrian government, supported by Russia and Iran, has been fighting against various rebel groups backed by the United States, Turkey, and several Gulf states for twelve years. At least 500,000 people have died since the conflict began, while millions have lost their homes and livelihoods.
Yet, hope remains. Ben works with The Program for Theological Education by Extension or PTEE. “Many people have come to Christ [in Syria] because of the war; God has used it to bring many people to Himself,” he says.
“Because security was shaken in a big way, people threw themselves into the arms of the Lord.”
Jesus once said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” With so many people coming to Christ in Syria, the Church needs workers! PTEE provides certified theological training and more.
“Some countries in the region have theological seminaries, but Syria doesn’t. [It was a good fit] because PTEE offers theology courses on location. Students can study weekly alongside their regular lives and ministries; they don’t have to go anywhere,” Ben says.
“For the last decade, we’ve had more students in Syria than any other country, which is remarkable considering the circumstances there.”
Support from people like you makes it all possible.
“What’s God doing in Syria? He is working His purposes out to draw people from different tribes, tongues, and nations together under the banner of Christ,” Ben says.
“Spiritually, there’s new hunger that wasn’t there before.”
*Name withheld for security purposes.
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay.
