Children Suffering Most in Aleppo

Food and fuel are increasingly scarce in the Syrian city of Aleppo, which has been at the centre of the civil war for more than four years.

Young children are suffering the most; the shops no longer stock milk, which can now only be bought on the black market and, if families can find any milk in the markets, the price has escalated by between 500% and 800%.

For the last month, the city has been entirely encircled by Syrian government forces who, supported by Russian air strikes, are trying to take back control of eastern Aleppo from rebels. On 6th August, rebel forces succeeded in breaking the Syrian army’s stranglehold on the main supply route into Aleppo, but as a result, the bombing has intensified.

An estimated 40,000 Christians are amongst the remaining residents trying to survive in this besieged city and now having to face a new fear: that Islamist rebels will gain ground and they will again find themselves in rebel-held territory, where they will become targets, both for their faith and their support of the Syrian government.

Isolated and under threat, for Christians in Aleppo their faith is their only certainty. Many are destitute, without reliable supplies of food, medicines, water or electricity, and in constant danger from the fighting.

A ministry partner working with Barnabus Fund in Aleppo described the situation of Christians in the city, declaring, “The situation is getting very hard. No more food to come in and fuel as well. The difficult life is adding more burden to all families and [especially those] who have kids and very young infants.”

• Pray for an end to the fighting in Syria, and especially for the city of Aleppo.
• Pray for those trying to survive in Aleppo, that aid supplies of food and medicine will be allowed in and reach those who desperately need it.
• Pray for the children of Aleppo. Many are starving, sick and traumatised by the constant bombardments. Pray for families, for access to food, water and medical facilities for their children, and for emotional and spiritual healing for these precious children.
• Pray for Christians in Aleppo, as they face the fear of persecution and starvation. Pray for their faith to remain strong, and to be a witness and a light in the darkness that threatens to engulf this city and nation.
• Pray for Christian workers and the Church in Syria, for compassion, opportunities to share their faith and to be channels of the healing love and grace of Jesus to the people of this nation.

Psalm 72 vs 4: “May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor.”

https://www.barnabasfund.org