Masoud is a Syrian refugee. Last year, his wife gave birth to their sixth child, but just a few days after being born, the newborn died.

The child had suddenly become ill, but they didn’t have the means to pay for medical care. One hospital refused him service. Another hospital, one equipped with fewer resources and staff, agreed to admit the child. But in the end, the medical staff did nothing for the baby.

Masoud told me about the other children he had lost. Six of his children had died, he said. I thought I had misheard him, so I doubled checked to make sure I had understood him correctly.

Yes, he had lost six children, all at different ages.

One child lived to be five years old. Others died around the age of two or before their first birthday. Most them hadn’t seemed sick until the day they died.

For each child, the cause of death remained unknown to the doctors.

Masoud and his wife now have a 6-month old baby. He is their seventh and only living child. I can’t imagine the fear they must feel each day for this happy, smiling child.

Masoud registered to receive aid that we distribute to refugees through the local church. Since then we have delivered some basic needs—including a food package, a hygiene kit, and diapers.

Masoud’s cousin, Rahim, is also a registered refugee at the church. Rahim told us that he has lost eight of his children. One pair was a set of twins who died just a couple months apart when they were about a year and a half old. Two died when they were 10 days old, another two died at 10 months. Two more were born prematurely and died within 8 months.

Fourteen children—all age five and under—have died in these two families. Our hearts break for them. How do we make sense of these inconceivable losses?

I think of the death of my own child. Even though he also died, we had the means to do everything we could to save him—including a medical evacuation on an insurance-arranged medical charter plane with two doctors on board.

Masoud and his dying infant, on the other hand, were simply refused service.

We can see that Masoud is trying desperately to make sense of the suffering he has experienced. The death of so many children is not normal.

God watched His Son die, too. The Father knows what these families feel.

We pray that the Father will comfort Masoud, Rahim, and their families.

And we keep looking for opportunities to share the hope we have in Christ—who alone has the power to break curses and defeat death.

Join us in praying for God’s healing power to break into their lives.

**This account comes from a long-term worker. Names and places have been changed for security.**

Original article: www.frontiersusa.org/blog/article/inconceivable-losses

Main photo by DFID