The Alliance Family in Aleppo is Proclaiming the Gospel in Words and Deeds

The Alliance Church of Aleppo has become a refuge for people who lost their homes due to the earthquake that hit southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, 2023. Church members are working 24/7 to assist those in need. We invite you to be part of this effort through your prayers and donations.

After the initial earthquake, when it was found that the consequences would be serious and long-lasting, the Alliance Church of Aleppo led by Pastor Abdullah Homsi started a work of humanitarian aid for the people who had lost their homes. The sanctuary and church buildings have become a shelter for more than 200 people who have been given blankets and mattresses, food, and first aid for minor injuries. Additionally, church volunteers are distributing 500 meals a day to the homeless living in temporary shelters and tents set up in parking lots. The church building is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide shelter, food, and emotional and spiritual support. There are many challenges. It is winter and heating is necessary. The electric company provides power only two hours a day, so the church has to rely on a diesel generator, but the supply of diesel fuel is not steady, and now it is only available on the black market.

According to Pastor Abdullah, hundreds of buildings have collapsed, and homes have been destroyed, and there has been a succession of high-intensity aftershocks. After the initial earthquake, some people returned to their homes and apartments to collect personal belongings or documents, but when the aftershocks hit, many more residents died, buried under the weakened buildings. Bridges, roads, and hospitals were damaged, and power went out, making it harder to reach and help those in need. Years of conflict in Syria have already devastated the local infrastructure, making it difficult to access the machinery and tools needed for rescue efforts. Thousands of Syrian refugees, already living in highly challenging conditions, have been affected by the earthquakes. More than 5,800 people have been killed and 14,500 have been injured in Syria. The Syrian Ministry of Health reports 2,068 earthquake-related deaths and 2,950 injuries in Aleppo and Latakia provinces. It is estimated that up to 5.37 million people in Syria have been left homeless.

As the tragic death toll from the earthquake increases, the biggest emergency those living in the ruins of Aleppo face is housing. In vast areas of Aleppo affected by illegal construction, the earthquake has destroyed entire buildings. People gather in the buildings, churches, and schools that remain standing. There, the distribution service of food, blankets and medicine is organized. In the neighborhoods where the Christian population is concentrated, the greatest damage has been to old buildings built with stones and without reinforced concrete.

The AWF Relief and Development team met on February 15 with Pastor Abdullah Homsi and Pastor Munther Shahatit, the EMERALD (Europe and Middle East) Regional Coordinator, to discuss ways of supporting the Alliance Church of Syria in its effort to provide relief to the people affected by the earthquake. Please pray for Pastor Abdullah and his family. He has been so busy that he sleeps only three to four hours a day and does not have time to see his children. Pray also for the volunteers who work tirelessly to keep the shifts running around the clock. The church welcomes teams of five to seven volunteers who can stay two weeks to help with the relief ministry. For additional information, please contact [email protected].

AWF is receiving donations for relief work to support the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. If you would like to contribute to the relief work there, select Turkey-Syria Relief or contact [email protected]. At this point, the AWF is directing the donations to the relief work in Syria, where the Alliance churches have a strong presence.