Syria (MNN) — Syria teeters on the brink of collapse. Critical infrastructure is failing, and so is the economy. Ninety percent of the population lives in poverty, and 70 percent, or 15.3 million Syrians, need humanitarian aid to survive.

“No one seems to have great answers for the future [regarding] Syria,” Samuel of Redemptive Stories says.

“Everything continues to go downward in economics, opportunity, rebuilding – nothing is on an upward trajectory.”

Extended power cuts have sunk most of the country into a perpetual blackout. At nighttime, “no light can be seen for miles because nobody has money for electricity, and so it’s just dark,” Samuel says.

Most Syrians rely on generators for electricity, but those need gasoline to operate – and fuel is unavailable. “They (the government) recently canceled work for various things to help people save on gas money,” Samuel says.

Nonetheless, hope remains. “The Gospel always intersects brokenness; when people are so broken, they have nothing else to turn to except God,” Samuel says.

“It’s in those times of desperation that we look to God and say, ‘Help!’ When people do that, we pray the Church is there to help them and to speak truth into those situations.”

Pray that Syrian Christians who share help and hope in the name of Jesus will have strength and endurance. Believers are helping people throughout the country by meeting basic daily needs.

“Pray that the Church will be a beautiful light as much as possible to communicate hope through aid and relief,” Samuel requests.

 

*Pseudonym

 

Header image depicts malnourished children in Idlib, Syria. (Photo courtesy of Ahmed akacha/Pexels)