In the last few weeks, a Nazarene church in the Eastern Mediterranean Field has provided powdered milk packages and school bags to 24 Syrian refugee families living in their midst, with plans to distribute to up to 150 families.
The refugees have fled violence and political turmoil in Syria that began in 2011 and has killed almost 200,000 people and displaced about 6.5 million people, with 3 million of those having fled to other countries.
In the initial delivery, the local church gave out school bags filled with wool hats and gloves to 70 children, as well as two pairs of socks, stationery packs and some sweets.
“We have the names and numbers of more then 1,400 Syrian refugee families,” said a Nazarene pastor who helped coordinate the distribution. “They came to our church asking for any kind of help. The church are already helping around 600 families every month with hygiene packages. Anyway, we looked into our files and found kids who go to school and chose them first.”
During the distribution visits, the church members shared the gospel with some of the families and prayed with many of them.
In one home, a man who was a spiritual leader of another religion “was very open to welcome the church team and he did not mind praying in his house in the name of Christ,” the pastor reported.
In another home were three girls who often attend ministry programs at the church where they had been learning about God. Their mother had asked them why they go to the church. The girls replied that at the church they learn to pray and praise God. Their mother asked the pastor’s wife what “praise” means. When the pastor’s wife explained the answer, the girls’ mother turned to her daughters and said, “Yes, you need to do this.”
The 600 families who receive regular contact and material items from this local church have been divided into four groups, and each group comes to the church on a different Saturday once a month for a seminar that provides training and information in spiritual, medical and social areas. They also receive prayer from the church members.
“This month we are covering the topic of raising up children, the role of parents and how to punish a child,” the pastor wrote. “It is a real breakthrough in their mindset and a big addition of values in their lives. We were happy to see a few men ready to sit and listen, too.”
Nazarene churches in Eastern Mediterranean Field have for several years been supporting refugees from Syria and other violence-torn areas in the Middle East. To read past coverage, click on the following links:
To contribute to the education and care for children still living in war torn Syria, visit Nazarene Compassionate Ministries and donate to their Acts of God project. “Acts of God” After-School Program or the Education for Syrian students project: Education for Syrian Students
You can also help Syrian refugee children by giving to the Middle East schools project: Middle East Nazarene School Support
