Dying by a Bullet Would Have Been Easier

Posted by Todd Cyphers on

There are individuals all over our world and even in our midst that are thinking this very same sentiment. They live in refugee camps and expensive houses, have no job and run major corporations. The article below is a reminder of not only why we are called to pray without ceasing, but also to keep maturing in Christ to have His light burn brighter and so our saltiness would be saltier. The many idols and gods that people turn to for comfort are possibly countless, but the truth remains that there is One who can comfort, heal and transform. The One who is the Resurrection says, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28 (NASBU) 

 

 

AMMAN, Jordan (BP) -- "I'm scared that if I go into the kitchen, I'll grab a knife and kill myself."

Khalid* spoke many times of suicide during the 90 minutes I spent with him. His story, like those of many other refugees who have fled the ongoing civil war in Syria, is one of deep loss and desperation.

One of his children, a 2-year-old twin son, was killed in January when high winds knocked down the family's tent in the refugee camp in Jordan where they were staying. A tent pole penetrated the boy's chest in the middle of the night.

Friends sneaked the child's body back into Syria in a water cooler so he could be buried beside his grandmother on a hillside near the border.

"Dying by a bullet or a bomb would have been easier," the 26-year-old father said during our recent conversation. "We came from Syria to protect our women and children, to give them a chance to live. And there's nothing here. No food. No water. ... It's cold. It's wet. ... There's nothing. ... Nobody listens to us. Nobody cares. ... We don't have anyone but Allah."

My heart broke for this young man and his family. I wanted to tell Khalid not to give up. But before I could get the words out, he told me our visit had returned a glimmer of hope to his heart and soul.

My eyes began to fill with tears. I told him I would not forget him, and that I would continue to pray for him and his family.

I pray that this young Syrian refugee family -- and the hundreds of thousands like them -- will come to be held snugly in the Father's arms as they gain access to God's Word and embrace Christ, their eternal hope.
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*Name changed. Joseph Rose serves in the Middle East as a photographer and videographer. Donations for human needs efforts like in Syria may be made at www.imb.org under the "Give" tab. 

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