Hope and aid for Christians in the aftermath of the Turkey-Syria earthquake
“We [Christians] are a minority here and we don’t have much help. Thank God you came and helped us all … We had no hope,” said a pastor in Antakya (Antioch), Turkey. He was talking about support sent by Barnabas Aid for him and other Christians after the catastrophic double earthquake on 6 February. His church, his home and the homes of all his congregation had collapsed.
If local Christians are discriminated against when the aid is given out, it is even worse for Syrian Christian refugees in Turkey. They are doubly despised by the Turkish majority – for being Syrian and for being Christian. When our Christian project partners in Turkey delivered tents, the Syrian Christians could not believe the tents were really for them.
A Christian family waits for food being distributed by our partners on the ground
Great needs continue
Thank you for your donations, which have brought aid and hope to Christians affected by the devastating quake in Turkey and Syria.
“But the need is still great,” our project partners in Turkey told us on Thursday.
The international aid agencies who poured into Turkey immediately after the disaster are now disappearing from the scene, as their staff have to relocate to other emergencies. Yet the earthquake victims remain – and so do our project partners on the ground.
Barnabas has provided heavy-duty tents to shelter Christians in Turkey - can you help us, so we can keep providing much-needed aid like this?
Shining the light of Jesus
Of course, the Lord is there too, and He has been wonderfully at work.
“In a few minutes we lost everything,” said the pastor, recalling the day of the quake. “It was a miracle we could get out of the house before it collapsed - just like angels were holding the building for us to get out. I lost 46 people from my extended family, all of them Christians who loved the Lord. We have been living in this region for hundreds of years and the Christian families all know each other. Our loss is great but our Lord is greater. Before we could even mourn or bury our relatives, we had to find shelter for the ones that are alive - elderly, children and all.”
Please pray for all affected by the earthquake, especially the Christians. If the Lord leads you to give again, thank you. This week we are asking your help for earthquake-affected Christians in Turkey.
£14 ($17; €15) could pay for the daily rent of a homeless family living temporarily in an apartment.
£20 ($25; €23) could provide a box of colouring books, socks, sweets and other small items for a child.
£55 ($70; €60) could provide food for a family in Antakya for a week.
£520 ($650; €590) could provide a family tent.
