December 13, 2024

Praying for Syria

This past Sunday, Pastor Lauren poignantly recounted her family’s history with the Young Turks’ (a transitional government that appeared at the fall of the Ottoman Empire) program of genocide inflicted upon Armenian residents in the empire. It is a stark reminder of what humankind is capable of, but unfortunately is neither an isolated example nor the most recent example. We celebrate the escape of many of our Armenian friends, even as we lament the loss of so many other Armenians in this attempt at “ethnic cleansing.”

While we were hearing the story of Pastor Lauren’s family’s heroic exodus, that same part of the former Ottoman Empire was undergoing a different kind of cleansing. For over a half a century, the Assad family has led a tyrannical government in Syria, brutally keeping its people in line. On Sunday, December 8, that reign ended as Bashar al-Assad fled the country after ruling since 2000. The rebel fighters culminating their years of opposition had finally toppled the Assad regime.

Now is a time of great opportunity for Syria, as political prisoners are being released, families are being reunited, and the possibility of a fair, representative government grows. At the same time, this is a season of great risk. With at best a partially functioning government, there is a power vacuum which creates the threat of outside sources grabbing the reins of control before they are fully in the Syrian people’s grasp. In particular, Syria has been a key country for Iran and Russia, and they will relinquish their influence and control (direct and indirect) with the greatest of reluctance.

Pastor Lauren, who knows this region, its history, and its people better than I do, can speak more to the hopes and fears of the Syrian people. The following are her thoughts.

In 2011, the year of the Arab Spring and the beginning of the Syrian civil war, I was teaching Turkish, Kurdish, and Syrian students in Gaziantep, Turkey, where Turkey borders Syria. My Syrian students were some of my favorites. They were warm and welcoming, and they played Ultimate frisbee with me regularly! It has been heartbreaking to watch the destruction of their homeland from afar. And I can only imagine what it has felt like for them. But just after the fall of Assad’s regime, one of those students posted something on Facebook that gave me great hope:

“I promise myself to learn from my mistakes in the revolution;
I promise myself to see things from different angles and
to respect law, society, culture, and history.
I promise myself not to believe everything that is said.
I promise myself to take care of myself, my health and wellness.
I promise myself not to raise my voice except in prayer.
I promise myself to render help without expecting anything in return.
I promise myself to stop talking about things I don’t understand.
I promise myself to be the best version of myself.
Long live free, beautiful Syria.” (Bader Albarazi)

 May we all make such a promise to ourselves.

As your pastors we encourage your informed prayers about Syria in the days ahead. May it be a peaceful transition and may the people’s voices be heard in the establishment of a new, free Syria. We pray in solidarity with the Syrian Christians and the new opportunities afforded them, even as we pray for people of all faiths in Syria that they might have freedom and safety in this season of transition.

May the promise of the coming Prince of Peace be realized in Syria in the months and years ahead.

~ Pastor Lauren and Pastor Todd