Syria (MNN) — A bitterly cold winter has descended on northwest Syria, putting refugees from the civil war at risk. With no money to buy warm clothes or a furnace, some resort to burning garbage. Heavy, noxious smoke puts people at risk for suffocation, and fires can easily get out of control.
The U.N. refugee agency says the region needs 182 million dollars in aid this year but has only secured half that amount.
Brutal conditions
Samuel with Redemptive Stories says, “Where we live, it’s all cement construction, cinderblock. We have very little insulation. Whatever the temperature is outside is often what it is inside. There has been flooding, regular snow, and other storms that are hitting the northern part of Syria in particular.”
Hyperinflation means buying food or fuel has become even more difficult. The value of an average salary has dropped from about 200 dollars to about 20 dollars.
Samuel says, “In many cases, unfortunately, churches and even families have to go to the black market in order to be able to purchase needs. In those cases, the prices are four to five times what they would normally be.”
“We’re hearing this again and again from pastors locally: ‘It’s worse now than even in the midst of the heaviest fighting. Because people are just truly suffering in this economic situation.’”
Syrian churches continue providing food and warmth to Christians and non-Christians alike. Samuel says, “Syria has a lot of churches, and there are a lot of Christian believers that have stayed there, so it’s important for us to stand with our brothers and sisters through this season.”
The header photo shows a Syrian refugee child. (Photo courtesy of Ahill34, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
