Syrian Refugees

The Syrian people are suffering from widespread conflict. More than 100,000 lives have been lost since the conflict began more than two years ago, and many have been injured. Homes and businesses are being destroyed in the violence.

Lord, Psalm 46:9 declares that You, “Make wars cease to the ends of the earth.” Help those in conflict with one another to come to a peaceful solution, so that civilians may resume their daily lives. Lord, we trust in You.

Syrian families are being uprooted from their homes by the fighting, displaced in their own country, or fleeing to neighboring countries for safety.

Lord, come to the aid of families who are fleeing to safety. Protect them from dangers on their travels and guide them to places where they can find help and rest. Provide host communities with the resources to assist families arriving on their doorstep. Lord, we trust in You.

As resources become scarce, tensions rise between refugees and their host communities. Making things worse, the harsh winter cold threatens health and increases the need for heaters, fuel, and warm clothes. Families living in tents or dilapidated structures are particularly vulnerable.

Lord, have mercy on those who have no warm place to stay. Provide desperate families with ample resources to stay warm and survive the winter cold. Infuse aid organizations with extra supplies to meet their variety of needs. Lord, we trust in You.

Many Syrian school-aged children are not able to attend classes because they’ve left their communities or because their schools are damaged or occupied by displaced families. Child refugees find it difficult to enroll and participate in classes that are not in their native language.

Lord, You know that children whose educations are disrupted often have a hard time catching up. This threatens their future prospects to have a career and care for a family. We ask You to help children who are missing classes today. Help them to resume their studies with ease. And give teachers the training to help these students regain what they may have lost. Lord, we trust in You.

There are many ancient Christian communities in this region going back to New Testament times. Saul was helped by Christians in Damascus after his encounter with the ascended Christ (Acts 9). These communities today have requested prayer that they may stay strong in faith.

Lord, we lift to You our brothers and sisters in Christ living in this region. Strengthen them with power through the Spirit (Ephesians 3:16). And help them to endure and remain faithful, knowing that nothing can separate them from Your love. Lord, we trust in You.

Health workers recently immunized 2.5 million children throughout Syria during a massive campaign to combat polio. World Health Organization officials are cautiously optimistic that this has held the outbreak at bay — a modest success in the otherwise disastrous conflict.

Lord, we praise you for enabling polio vaccinations to reach children who need them, and for the boldness of health workers administering them. Equip and strengthen humanitarians to bring more medical care to those suffering from other diseases due to poor living conditions. Lord, we trust in You.