Just over a year ago, I was sitting in a church a few miles from the Syrian border when the pastor asked everyone to stop and pray.
“The coalition has started bombing Syria,” he told us. Moments later, we heard the screech of a fighter jet as it flew over the city toward the border.
That afternoon, I visited two Syrian refugee families. Both families had televisions blaring and were glued to the Arab news channels showing the bombings. One of the women saw her hometown being bombed.
In spite of the destruction they were witnessing, these Syrian families responded positively to the images onscreen. They were like most refugee families at that time—they just wanted to go home, despite offers of visas from some Western countries. They hoped the bombings would bring a quick end to violence in their homeland.
Unfortunately, airstrikes haven’t brought about a quick end to the fighting.
Refugees still hope that someday they will be able to return to Syria. Until then, many are pursuing options to resettle elsewhere.
My family and I lived in Syria for several years. The Syrians we met were extremely kind and hospitable. But when we talked about Jesus, conversations often stalled. A few people came to faith and we had some good conversations about Jesus with others. But we didn’t see that much fruit.
In 2011, we sensed God directing us to relocate to a country bordering Syria. We protested that there were already too many other workers in that country, but we obeyed. Little did we know what would happen in the months ahead.
**This account comes from a long-term worker.**
Original article: FrontiersUSA.org/blog/article/from-the-other-side-living-among-syrian-refugees
