I am writing with a heavy heart, knowing that more than 1,200, including our Christian brothers and sisters, were massacred in Syria this past weekend. Churches have been burned, families torn apart, entire communities scattered or lost. And yet, in the face of this devastation, we hold fast to the hope that is in Christ.
I know the CitizenGO family is a praying family, and I am so grateful for that. As we grieve, we also praise the Lord for graciously welcoming those who lost their lives—martyrs now counted as precious in His sight. But our prayers do not stop with them. We are praying for those who remain, for those who are still in danger, still fleeing, still unsure where to turn.
My own church supports pastors and missionaries in Syria. We have seen the risks they take to remain and serve, bringing the light of Christ into the darkest places. We have not heard if they are all safe, but I am certain they stand firm.
I am reminded of the words of Corrie Ten Boom after the death of her beloved father and sister in a German concentration camp when she said, "There is no pit so deep, that God's love is not deeper still." That is still true today—even in the darkest pits of Syria.
Do you have family in Syria? Do you know someone who is suffering right now? Please reply to this email. Let us pray for them by name.
The grief of losing a loved one in such violence is unimaginable. Yet we know the Lord’s grace is deeper than our pain. His peace is beyond human understanding. Today, we are praying that His comfort would surround the families who have been devastated, that He would sustain the churches still standing, and that He would be near to the brokenhearted and save those crushed in spirit.
During times like these, we feel helpless. What can we do? Even in our grief and horror, the CitizenGO family we is still active.
CitizenGO is organizing prayer vigils in front of embassies, preparing to deliver petitions directly to Washington, D.C., and speaking at the United Nations to demand real action to protect Syria’s Christians. We are also launching a global campaign to ensure that the world does not look away while Christianity is being wiped out from one of its oldest homelands.
My colleague, Caroline Farrow, was interviewed over the weekend on British television about the persecution of Christians in Syria. She did an excellent job explaining just how dire this situation is. I encourage you to watch her interview here: Christians are being Massacred in Syria - Caroline Farrow on GB News
It is easy to feel powerless in the face of such devastation. But we are not powerless. We serve a God who hears our prayers. He is near to the brokenhearted, and He has called us to intercede for those who are suffering.
That is why I am asking: Will you pray right now? If you feel led, share your prayer with us. Write back with the names of those who need to be lifted up. And if you can, join us in standing for Syria’s persecuted Christians.
I thank God for you, for your faithfulness, for your heart. And I ask that He would pour His strength and mercy over the church in Syria today.