The Syrian refugee crisis is the worst refugee crisis of since World War II. More than 13.5 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance. More than 4 million have fled the country and are living as refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq, European countries and around the world.
This is how the PrayForRefugees website summarizes the huge crisis currently facing Syria and neighboring countries. The realities faced by these refugees include child labor and exploitation, lack of education, squalid and unsafe living conditions, and lack of hope for a brighter future. The crisis is now 5 years old; tens of thousands of Syrian children have never known a real home.
PrayForRefugees encourages us as believers to hear the cries of these refugees and to respond in prayer. From their website:
We can affirm some shared beliefs:
- Each human being is created by God, is loved unconditionally, and is of eternal value to the Lord
- We are all commanded to serve the poor, the suffering and the oppressed, regardless of where they live
- We are to find Christ in the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned
- The Syrian refugee crisis breaks the heart of God
And as Christians, we can pray:
- For protection of civilians – innocent individuals, families and children – caught in the crossfire of this conflict
- For relief for the suffering – for food, clean water, shelter, clothing, health care and protection from the winter cold
- For a future for children – for education, for safety and security, for stability and emotional health in the face of their traumatic experiences
- For the work of groups responding tangibly to the needs of Syrian refugees
- For peace in Syria and an end to the conflict
During the period of Lent, PrayForRefugees is sponsoring a prayer campaign on behalf of Syrian Refugees. Visit their website (click the image above) for daily prayer topics, or follow along and participate here on Pray.Network through the Prayer For Syrian Refugees discussion.
Comments