Desperate Syrian Refugees Run to Christ: Teach Their Children About Jesus

Leah Marieann Klett : Mar 16, 2016
The Gospel Herald

"Now, you have to teach my children. These are the future. They have to be Christians. Our time is short. Please teach them."

(Syria)—Syrian refugees who fled predominantly Muslim countries amid ongoing war and terrorism are embracing Christianity and teaching their children about Jesus after experiencing firsthand the love and compassion of Believers in Greece. (Photo: Reuters / Muhammad Hamed / via Gospel Herald)

This year alone, more than 126,000 refugees have entered Greece, and last year, more than 500,000 refugees arrived on the island of Lesbos, according to the BBC. Still more refugees more are traveling to Macedonia, which was allowing entry to only 250 refugees per day and has turned away more than 6,000.

Thousands are expected to be stranded in Greece or Turkey in the upcoming months, as several European nations recently announced caps on the numbers they will take. Even worse—more than 3,770 migrants were reported to have died trying to cross the Mediterranean in 2015. Most died on the crossing from north Africa to Italy, and more than 800 died in the Aegean crossing from Turkey to Greece.

According to a report from Christian Aid Mission, Christian relief groups are working tirelessly in these regions to help provide food, clothing and blankets to such new arrivals, and they distribute groceries weekly to more than 100 families.

One ministry team leader told the outlet that their volunteers are able to communicate with the Syrian, Iraqi and Kurdish refugees in their own languages, allowing them to share the love of Christ with those traumatized from their experiences.

The ministry leader shared one particularly compelling story of how one refugee, who will go by the name of 'Saddam' for security reasons, embraced Christianity after witnessing the kindness of the Christian aid workers.

Saddam appeared to have been a man of authority and wealth in Syria, and told the ministry that he found out about them because everyone at the hotel where he was staying was talking about it.

When he first arrived, he asked a ministry worker if he was a Christian or a Muslim. Uncertain of why he was asked such a question, the worker asked him why he wanted to know. (Photo: Reuters/via Breitbart.com)

With tears streaming from his eyes, Saddam said, "I need someone to talk with me about Jesus."

The workers summoned the ministry co-directors, and the Muslim man told them, "All the Muslim countries have turned their back to us. All the Muslim nations have ripped us from our treasures. They taught us not to trust the Christians, and that they are liars. I come to Greece and I find myself in the best place with the best food for me and my children. I find love that I have never seen. Please teach me."

He wept even more as the ministry leaders led him to Jesus as Lord and Savior, then he said, "Now, you have to teach my children. These are the future. They have to be Christians. Our time is short. Please teach them."

The co-directors reported, "Yesterday, our friends from the Sunday school prayed for two of his children. He was..." 

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