An estimated 300,000 persecuted Christians in Syria stand at a crossroads...and we are there to help. While many ministries face closed doors due to visa restrictions, our Syrian ministers serve on-the-ground, on the front lines, bringing Christ's love to the most dangerous corners of their homeland.
A Nation at a Crossroads
The sudden rebel takeover forcing out President Assad has plunged persecuted Christians into more precarious waters than ever before, one that echoes the haunting days when Jabhat al-Nusra desecrated sacred spaces and imposed strict Sharia law.
Although we celebrate the end of Assad's dictatorship characterized by extreme evil and wickedness, a sobering and complex reality remains for the Christians in the country as new government leaders take power in Syria. While Syrian refugees are returning home and there are promises of freedom, Christians simply do not know what it will be like to profess faith in Christ under this new regime. Joshua Youssef sheds some light on the situation and prevailing uncertainty:
There’s a lot of fear about whether or not these rebel groups will rightly judge and rightly govern with Christians and other minorities in country. Is this going to allow for a flourishing of Syria where you have all these different groups, Druze and Christians and Muslims, all working and governing together, or does this turn out like Libya or Iraq where ISIS came in the northern part of that country and wreaked havoc on Christians? That’s what we don’t know right now.
—Joshua Youssef, CEO and President, Help The Persecuted
The Situation on the Ground for Persecuted Christians
In the midst of extreme uncertainty, countless Christians remain trapped in Aleppo. Many of them have struggled to find steady jobs and were already living in poverty before the fall of Assad's regime—and thus had no resources for an emergency evacuation. As our Field Minister Daniel, who is one of our two on-the-ground Field Ministers in Syria, explains, "When rebels took over Aleppo, most Christians lacked resources to flee, leaving them without access to vital essentials."
This becomes even more dire as we consider the insecurity of the country; simply walking to the store could be a death sentence because of the continued fighting and uncertainty. One persecuted believer shared with us, "The situation is really bad. Gunfire and shells are raining down like rain, and there's no electricity. Please pray for us."
Even more alarming, persecution is continuing and may even be increasing, leading to physical violence against Christians. A local pastor shared his experience with Daniel:
Today I went to the church to inspect the building... a group attacked me, beat me, and threatened me if I did not leave. Even when police came, they shouted that they would not allow us to pray there. I returned home upset and very worried about my family.
—Ibrahim, local pastor in Syria
Our History in Syria
For over a decade, Help The Persecuted has walked alongside the persecuted Christians of Syria. By the grace of God, we have seen countless lives Rescued, Restored, and Rebuilt on the solid foundation of Christ in the country!
We've gotten to put on Enduring Faith Conferences, helped believers start small businesses through our Enduring Livelihood Ministry, and provided emergency Safe Housing, Lightning Funds for emergency rescue, and more. We are grateful for all of these opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ in the nation!
Over the years, countless Syrians have shared the impact of our ministry—made possible by faithful donors like yourself:
"You are God’s greatest gift for us."—Toleen, Syria
“Without you, I would probably be dead. Thank you for your support and the love you showed me. You are truly God’s servants on this earth.”—Badr, Syria
"How sweet is the Lord, and how sweet You all are. He does not forsake His sons and daughters. He comes in the fourth watch and changes and meets the needs. Blessed be His name forever."— Afina, Syria
Through crisis after crisis, our brave and faithful Field Ministers have ministered to persecuted Christians...rescued them...over and over again:
- When the earth itself shook in February 2023 in Syria, we were there.
- When ISIS terrorized Syrian Christians, we were there.
- When civil war tore Syria apart, we were there.
- And now, as a new extremist Islamist regime seizes power, we remain there, on-the-ground, in Syria.
On-The-Ground Ministry: Right Now
In times of overwhelming crisis, it can feel impossible to know what to do. How do we begin the process to Rescue, Restore, and Rebuild the life of a persecuted believer...when we don't have any idea of what tomorrow will look like? For those of us in the West, we pray, and we give. And for our Field Ministers in Syria, the answer is equally simple: meet their immediate needs, right where they are.
Because of this, Daniel and Farid are organizing Winter Relief Outreaches throughout the country. In partnership with local churches, we will provide for the practical needs of over 7,000 persecuted Christians and other vulnerable people in Syria. At a time when no other ministries are on the ground, God has made it possible for us to be there, reminding these Christians that they are not alone.
At the outreaches, we will provide hot meals, warm coats, and distribute over 3,500 Emergency Relief Kits—which provide a month's worth of dry food goods for a family of four.
But, most importantly, the outreaches will be done in the name of the Lord. Daniel shared, "We will have a spiritual program to stand with the people in a spiritual way, also to pray with them, to pray for them."
We anticipate that we will have Muslim and Druze populations at these events, and we are so excited to share the gospel message with them. For the believers who will attend, we will encourage them in their faith, reminding them that they are loved and seen by God in the face of uncertainty and fear. Everyone—all 7,000!—who comes will have their practical needs met...and souls nourished in the name of the Lord!
Divine Timing: Our December Matching Challenge
In His perfect timing, God has prepared us for this moment–partners have already stepped forward to double every gift up to $500,000 this December. None of us could have known how desperately these funds would be needed for such a time as this!
This multiplication of resources comes at a moment when our Christian family faces both persecution and the harsh reality of a Syrian winter.
Will you make it possible for us to continue to be Christ's hands and feet in a land where faith costs everything? Your gift, doubled in impact, will mean more lives rescued, restored, and rebuilt…in Syria. These people have lost everything because they decided to follow Jesus. For them, there is no turning back. May we, as the global Church, rise up in response and not turn our backs on them!