24 May 2016
Dear Prayer Partners
Extend a hand to a suffering Christian family in Syria today
You can give them food – and hope
I just returned last week from a visit to Cyprus and Syria with Dr Patrick and the Barnabas Fund team to assess the needs of the internally displaced Christians inside Syria.
We were in Damascus for 3 days but were unable to visit Aleppo (north of Syria) which was under serious bombing for the past few weeks and is still on-going.
There is a great need for funds to feed our hungry and displaced brothers and sisters in Christ. Barnabas Fund is spending large amounts of funds currently to help 150,000 internally displaced Christian refugees from all over Syria and many who made their way to Lebanon and Turkey. Besides supplying food, we also give cash to help them rent unfinished and unfurnished flats.
In the recent past, we were feeding around 150,000 people and distributed 600,000 food parcels but now many have left the country as refugees to Jordan, Lebanon and the surrounding countries. Those remaining 66,000 are the poor and helpless. Please see the information sheet below relating to the amount of funds needed quarterly.
In the recent past, we were feeding around 150,000 people and distributed 600,000 food parcels but now many have left the country as refugees to Jordan, Lebanon and the surrounding countries. Those remaining 66,000 are the poor and helpless. Please see the information sheet below relating to the amount of funds needed quarterly.
While I was there, we cannot find any Christians in the UNHCR camps. This is very sad because Christians are fearful of harassment while staying in those camps as they are managed by Muslims and are only accepting Muslim refugees. As such, the Christians seek shelter in unfinished and bombed out buildings or in small plastic tents in the fields.
We also discovered many Christian NGOs are using their funds for Muslim controlled UNHCR camps as they do not have any relationships with the churches inside Syria. Christians are a minority group in Syria and will need aid supported directly on the ground.
It is also unfortunate that our revenue has dropped by 30% this year and we fear we may have to cut back aid for the dire needs of some critical projects and it is sad.
Please contribute urgently to Barnabas Fund to help the suffering Christians in Syria. Do not hesitate to contact me for further information.
Together serving Christ
Ernest Poon
SEA Director
We also discovered many Christian NGOs are using their funds for Muslim controlled UNHCR camps as they do not have any relationships with the churches inside Syria. Christians are a minority group in Syria and will need aid supported directly on the ground.
It is also unfortunate that our revenue has dropped by 30% this year and we fear we may have to cut back aid for the dire needs of some critical projects and it is sad.
Please contribute urgently to Barnabas Fund to help the suffering Christians in Syria. Do not hesitate to contact me for further information.
Together serving Christ
Ernest Poon
SEA Director
Barnabas Fund in Syria
Syrian Christians living in tents
Syrian Christians renting unfinished and unfurnished buildings
Syrian families receiving aid from Barnabas Fund
Essential items distribution – bedding supplies