By Jim Nieman
Christian agencies have mobilized to try to help earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria, but an urgent need exists for financial contributions so that more people can be helped sooner.
Team Expansion and IDES both shared some of the ways their ministries are helping that region’s earthquake victims.
The 7.8-magnitude quake that struck southern Turkey and northern Syria at 4:17 a.m. Feb. 6 occurred while most people were asleep in their homes. Almost 7,000 structures were destroyed. Ten hours later, a 7.5-magnitude aftershock occurred. Thus far, about 40,000 have died, 90,000 people are injured, and 1.3 million are displaced. Many have nothing left whatsoever.
Among those suffering are some of the most vulnerable people in the world, including about 1 million refugees from Syria and Afghanistan, said Team Expansion founder and president Doug Lucas.
“Imagine that you’ve escaped war, persecution, and famine, only now to watch as walls fall in on your friends and loved ones,” Lucas said.
He shared a story of a father who survived the quake, and then managed to find the hand of his 15-year-old daughter, who was buried under collapsed walls and stone. He held her hand all night long, waiting for help to arrive. But it didn’t arrive in time, and his daughter died.
Complicating recovery efforts is that this is the coldest time of year in the region. It snowed there over the weekend and cold rain fell on the wreckage throughout Monday. Many have nowhere to go, so they’re living in the streets with no shelter or food, and very little hope.
“They don’t know how to pray to Jesus,” Lucas said. “No one has told them yet about a God who loves them, nor have they heard about a Savior who died and rose again to set them free.”
TEAM EXPANSION
Team Expansion has had missionaries in the region for over a decade, Lucas said. They speak the local language and are being assisted by friends who follow Christ.
“Through [God’s] power, we were already getting to know many Turks throughout the region through media as well as face-to-face, disciple-making movement ministry,” Lucas said.
Despite many obstacles, “our workers have assembled a fleet of vans which are getting through [to help victims]. To these survivors, hot soup, cooked and served out of the back of a van, tastes better right now than anything else in the world.”
Financial gifts will help provide food, blankets, heaters, tents, and emergency supplies for children and families.
The partnership to “provide hope in the name of Jesus will profoundly change forever the way Turks view Christians,” according to a Christ follower who works with Team Expansion.
To provide financial assistance, click on www.TeamExpansion.org/HelpTurkey. “A few dollars can go a long way in the hands of cultural insiders who love and serve Jesus,” Lucas said.
INTERNATIONAL DISASTER EMERGENCY SERVICE
After the earthquake, IDES immediately began reaching out to their contacts and partners in both Turkey and Syria and began sending emergency aid—food, medicine, blankets, heaters, personal hygiene items, stoves, clothes, and heating oil.
IDES also is sending out international project managers, one of whom is a registered nurse. These folks will work alongside the ministry’s partners. A key element of their work will be setting up a mobile clinic with the potential of inviting more nurses to participate in the near future.
Officials with IDES say they are committed to sharing help and hope “in this devasted part of the world,” but they are seeking support in this endeavor. Learn more and contribute by going to ides.org/turkey-syria-earthquake. Contributions will go entirely to Turkey/Syria earthquake relief.
Jim Nieman serves as managing editor of Christian Standard.
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