To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Jerry Dykstra : Feb 27, 2012  Open Doors USA

"Please join Syrian Christians in prayer. Only God knows what lies ahead, but Scripture assures us that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

(Santa Ana, CA)—In the wake of a year of protests and violence, the volatile situation in Syria has brought great suffering to the entire population. Syrian Christians say their greatest need right now is prayer, according to Open Doors, an international ministry supporting persecuted Christians and religious freedom around the world.

The danger has prompted many churches across the country to meet only in daytime, many only on Sundays. On Fridays, the weekly Islamic day of assembly, many Christian schools now close. Because of rampant killing, theft and kidnapping of children, some parents have stopped sending their children to school. Syria also suffers a lack of fuel and electricity, an economy in shambles and few jobs. (Photo: AFP)

"Christians' plights vary by place," said Dr. Carl Moeller, president and CEO of Open Doors USA. "Damascus Christians seem to have the fewest difficulties; in contrast, many Homs Believers have fled what has become a war zone."

Some Christians want to stay; others desperately seek to emigrate, said Moeller. Many say they simply cannot flee.

"Many Believers tell us that Syria is where they belong and will remain, even if that means dying there," he said.

More than 80 percent of Christians have fled Homs, the city where fighting is the worst. Looters have invaded the homes of those who have fled. At least one evangelical church has been attacked. Those who remain have limited means of safe transportation. Few attend church services.

"Homs is a ghost town, and the situation of people there is not stable," another source said. "Everyone there fears for safety. People in the city don't have resources or supplies. The situation makes a decent human being cry."

In some areas, the situation is relatively safe for Christians. "We come together to worship, and people have strong faith," one Syrian pastor said. "Currently, Christians are not under direct attack. But we don't know if things change how they will treat us."

Christians fear that if President Assad is overthrown, their plight will dramatically worsen. But Christians find strength in their faith, Moeller said.

"Please join Syrian Christians in prayer," said Moeller. "Only God knows what lies ahead, but Scripture assures us that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

Syria has more than 20 million inhabitants with 1.9 million of them Christians. Syria is ranked No. 36 on the Open Doors 2012 World Watch List of the top 50 persecutors of Christians.

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Give Him 15: Mercy is Our New Currency

A Little Baby Girl Is Rescued from a Dumpster in Texas. A Dumpster

Nonprofit Asks Feds to Investigate Schools' 'Gender-Affirming Care' Practices

Latest Move by the President to Prevent a Government Shutdown Is Brilliant

Trump Closes Loophole Allowing Illegal Aliens to Drive Commercial Trucks After Tragic Accidents

Trump's Administration Finds 25,000 Missing Migrant Children

Autism, What We Know: Science Backs Up President Trump's Statements

Former FBI Director James Comey Indicted by Grand Jury for Obstruction in Russia Hoax Investigation

The Spiritual Battle is REAL!: Sean McDowell's Son Encounters a 'Demon' While Evangelizing in NYC

3 Suspects Arrested after Houston Youth Baseball Coach Shot during Pregame Prayer With Kids

Explosive Clash: Dearborn Mayor Attacks Resident Who Objected to Terrorist Street Naming

Economy: Second Quarter GDP Revised Up – Again – to Best Quarter Since 2023

DOGE Helped Uncover the Biggest Health Care Heist in American History

Charlie's TPUSA Campus Tours Continue as Virginia Tech Venue Fills to Max Capacity

Justice Department Seeks to Indict Former FBI Director James Comey before Looming Deadline, for Allegedly Lying to Congress

What Happens When You 'Pause' Your Child's Puberty? The Answer Is Even More Devastating Than You'd Think

Texas Bans Gender-Confused People from Using Opposite-Sex Facilities in Public Schools, Prisons

NBC Forced to Retract Claim that ICE Used 5-Year-Old Autistic Girl as 'Bait'; In Reality, Her Criminal Alien Father Abandoned Her in a Car and Agents Rescued the Child

President Trump Urges UN to Protect 'The Most Persecuted Religion on the Planet Today: Christianity'

Secret Service Finds, Dismantles Massive 'Telecommunications Threat' Near UN General Assembly in New York

Steve Shultz, Managing Editor
Founder and Owner

Aimee Herd, Editor