Dear friends and partners
in the ministry of Christ,
I write on behalf of the
Synod of Syria and Lebanon praising God for your part in our ministry;
especially during these trying times in our part of the
world.
Yesterday, during a very
cold tour of the Christian Valley, I visited a young woman and her mother in
their one room home, which they have been using as a living room, dining room
and bedroom. After a few exchanges the young woman said:
“We came from Homs in
February of 2012. We lived quite comfortably there, as I held a good job with a
bank. Thinking it would only be for a short time, we left our home with only a
few things. Ten days later my brother went home to check on the house and bring
back some much needed clothing. He found that the rebels had taken the house! He
asked if it was possible to take some clothes for his family and the rebels
allowed him to open the closets. They were filled with guns, boxes of bullets
and other weapons. All of our things had been piled in one room as the rest of
the house had been transformed into a rebel operation center. My brother left
saying nothing.”
I asked what the church
has done to help. She said, “The church has given us food, basic necessities,
and twice some financial assistance to pay the rent. This room costs us 15,000
Syrian pounds a month (equal 150-200 US dollars)! My mother sold her gold
bracelets to pay the rent and now we are living month to month!”
Then mother and daughter both began to cry. “We are dead while living. Where we used to be, where we are now… what will become of us? What future must we expect?”
Then, with a heavy heart,
I went to visit two other women from the Homs church and did not succeed as all
of their shutters were closed and there was no electricity to ring the doorbell.
As time wears on, more and
more people are growing concerned over their dwindling resources. Walking these
streets, one hears neighbors complaining about the high cost of food, the
unpredictable availability of electricity and the longing for those everyday
necessities that are now seen as luxuries. Many Syrians, like my 87 year old
mother, were only able to purchase one hundred liters of fuel since the
beginning of winter; enough to heat only one room through the cold season.
People pray that the next shipment of fuel will not be blown up by rebel groups
on its way to their town.
It is indeed a tragic situation on every level, but keep in mind that the Christian Valley has not seen much fighting. In fact, many Syrians have sought refuge there after being driven out of their home towns. However, though this region has been spared from the bloodiest battles of the civil war, there is one question that weighs heavily on everyone’s mind; how long will Christians be allowed to stay in Syria?
The Church has always known itself as God's arm outstretched to help the needy, strengthen the weak, and stand by the oppressed. Thus, the Synod of Syria and Lebanon has always had two permanent committees to respond to the poor and the sick; the committee on medical and social services and the committee on education and tuition assistance. In response to the devastating effects of the civil war, the Synod established its third committee in 2012. This committee works to assist displaced Syrians in Syria and Lebanon.
In my previous report I
listed several Presbyterian churches that have suffered from loss and
destruction. Those churches are in Homs, Aleppo, Ghassanieh, and Edlib. I also
gave statistics of families and individuals requesting immediate help for basic
living expenses such as food, clothing, and rental assistance. The Synod has
done its utmost to provide for these families, and their numbers are growing…
It is important to mention
that though the Synod is concerned with their plight, we are trying to avoid
emptying Syria of its Christians. We will, therefore, continue to provide
assistance to those displaced by war and do whatever possible to help them stay
within their own country. Pastors and session members of every Syrian
Presbyterian church are working as relief agents; visiting families in their
homes, coordinating efforts with other churches, and consistently communicating
developments to the Synod. Despite our concerns and efforts, we believe that
while it would be most tragic for Syria to lose all of its Christians, no one
has the right to ask these families to stay under perpetual threat of violence
and persecution.
So we appeal to all our
partners in the ministry of Christ to pray with us for peace and justice and for
God's mercy and forgiveness for all.
Once again, dear friends
and partners, thank you for your prayers and support.
To God be the
glory.
Mary
Mikhael
On behalf of the Synod of
Syria and Lebanon
