Pray for Earthquake Victims in Turkey & Syria

The destructive earthquakes of early 2023 were traumatic for many people in both Turkey and Syria. In Turkey, there were at least 50,783 deaths and 107,204 injuries recorded. In Syria, there were over 8,000 deaths and over 5,000 injuries. Adding to this tragedy, millions of Turks and Syrians lost their homes, as hundreds of thousands of buildings, clinics, and hospitals were destroyed.

The survivors are still suffering from the implications of the trauma they experienced. Many have lost their hope for the future, in addition to homes and loved ones. Particularly in Syria, where hardly any help arrived and people in need were helpless in the face of massive destruction.

Yet even in this chaos, God has been working. Christians in Syria and Turkey opened their hearts and offered refuge to the homeless survivors in monasteries and churches. And stories of miraculous rescues spread far and wide.

Sahin, the first follower of Christ in his family, was despised by his family and friends because of his faith. But when he and his family lost their home in the earthquake, Sahin’s Christian friends helped to organize tents for him and his relatives, friends, and neighbors. Their helpfulness impressed Sahin’s family and friends and opened their hearts to the message of Jesus.

How to Pray

• Pray that those affected by the earthquake will receive the help they need including new infrastructure and homes, and physical and mental healing.
• Pray for God to continue to pour out comfort, grace, and care on victims in Turkey and Syria.
• Pray that churches will be a testimony of love, mercy, and goodness and that people will become open to the gospel as a result of their love and testimony.