The “very strange people” helping in Türkiye and Syria

Tara Sing

On February 6 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake caused widespread destruction and death across southern central Türkiye and northwestern Syria. On the same day, a 7.5 magnitude aftershock hit Türkiye less than 100 kilometres to the north.

Within moments of the news breaking, teams of Christian volunteers from local churches had sprung into action. Church buildings became operation centres, Christians opened their homes and the support work began.

“The first thing we did was try to arrange some vehicles,” says Jennifer* in a video shared with supporters of the Anglican Relief and Development Fund Australia (ARDFA), adding that the first supply team was sent out a day later.

“Our priorities were, first of all, food, water and warming items like socks, blankets, jackets, sleeping bags – anything – as they had fled their houses.

“Once [people] get to places that we’ve arranged, we provide them with basic needs like food and clothing. We spend time with them, we eat with them, sometimes we cry together and we pray together.”

Reports have set the death toll at between 46,000 and 53,000, with more than 1.5 million displaced people living in temporary shelters.

ARDFA is supporting eight teams across Türkiye that assess and provide for people’s immediate needs in major cities, as well as in villages that are hard to access. Video footage shows vans carrying donations travelling along winding roads laden with snow.

“These churches already have the networks, the volunteers, the resources and the experience to deliver aid and relief in a timely and effective way,” says Lucy Lim, the executive director of ARDFA.

“They can reach the areas that other foreign aid cannot, or have trouble reaching. Importantly, they are delivering aid and relief to all, generously, selflessly and without discrimination, because of their faith in Jesus. This is an active testimony to the grace of God.”

Anglican Aid, through its links with churches in Syria, has been providing unique support in areas that many international aid organisations are having difficulty reaching due to politics and heavy sanctions.

“Food hampers are needed more than anything else,” says the leader of Damascus Church Aid, Samir Yacco, He and his team are working with Anglican Aid to provide emergency food and clothing to vulnerable people through the local church.

Local Syrian churches are also being used as distribution centres where possible, although some have suffered terrible damage. Anglican Aid hopes to offer some of the appeal donations to assist with repairs so these churches can continue to operate and support their communities.

How You Can Help

Working with in-country church partners has a number of advantages, as it mobilises locals who understand the context and has fewer overhead costs, so every dollar donated can offer greater help.

Says Jennifer: “One of our team overheard people saying, ‘These Christians are very strange people. They seem to enjoy helping us’.

“Another report we got from our first team is [that] people have begun to be interested in Christians and in Christ. They have started to ask questions. Our team was able to share the gospel… and build relationships.” SC

*Name changed for security purposes.

Pray for volunteers, for the local churches providing supplies and support, for aid organisations such as ARDFA and Anglican Aid, and for the families processing the grief and trauma of the initial earthquakes and ongoing aftershocks. Canon Sandy Grant, Dean of St Andrew’s Cathedral, has written a prayer, which you can see at https://anglicanaid. org.au/prayer-for-syria

You can also give to the appeals supporting Christians on the ground in Türkiye and Syria at https://anglicanaid.org. au/current-appeals/syria-earthquake-relief/ and https:// ardfa.org.au/turkey-earthquakes