Syria (MNN) — Syria’s de-facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, may be making the right promises. But the world is still watching closely. Some nations are taking first steps into an unknown future. Officials from the US, Saudi Arabia, and other countries met with al-Sharaa this December.
Fadi Sharaiha with the MENA Leadership Center was surprised those meetings took place, since until recently al-Sharaa was wanted by the US. (More on that here.)
“It seems that there is something that we don’t know [going on], and it seems that there are so many international arrangements around this,” Sharaiha says. “I really hope that this will not be [at] the expense of the minorities, including the Christians in Syria.”
He is concerned Syria might fall into the chaos Iraq has been experiencing for years.
“The training inspired me to new approaches to ministry… I began to implement the material, combining both the passion and skills for a more significant impact in God’s kingdom. Thank you for the abundant, precious resources you left in our hands.” – Key Ministry Leader from Jordan (Photo, caption courtesy of MLC)
“[On the] one hand, yes, it is much better not to have [the] Assad regime. On the other hand, we don’t know what to expect,” Sharaiha says. Words are one thing; actions are another. Syria has not been an Islamic nation, but is it headed that way?
“[Syria] is impacting our work, because we need to be sensitive to the needs of the Christian leaders and the different ministries in the Middle East, and now the needs are different,” says Sharaiha. He says future courses they offer might focus on how to rebuild economies and ministries.
Rebuilding is deeply needed in Syria today. Please pray that the events in Syria will lead to the advancing of God’s Kingdom. But in those prayers for the church and the nation, also be encouraged — Sharaiha sees God at work in the midst of it all.
“Many people — especially the youth — are coming to faith from different backgrounds in Syria. This is beautiful to see them coming together from different backgrounds, worshiping the Lord,” Sharaiha says.
“We have a sovereign God — His sovereignty is amazing. Regardless of whatever we think and we fear, remember that the Lord is good, He is in charge, and He is helping, supporting the church in Syria.”
Header photo: Syrian citizens celebrate the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, December 2024 (Photo courtesy of Shvan Hark via Unsplash)
