Throughout the first few days of the earthquake, reports started to come through that actually the province of Hatay, (formally part of Syria until 1939) had been hit the hardest with the homes of believers in Iskenderun and Antakya (ancient Antakya) being nearly completely destroyed in the 7.8 earthquake. This was followed the next day by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake just north of the first one, which created even more damage. At the time of editing this the death toll has now passed 28,000 people with thousands more injured and homeless.
We have already received reports of a family, the brother of the pastor of the church, whose son survived but both parents were killed when their home collapsed. Others have still not been accounted for and one long time friend in Antakya lost his entire house but he and his wife were able to escape. We have been simply overwhelmed, as I am sure you have by the devastation but we are also encouraged by believers now working with those on the ground to support their brothers and sisters in the faith in Southeastern Turkey.
Besides the daily, sometimes hourly, messages from believers on the ground we also have been following the reports from Al-Monitor, The Guardian and The Jerusalem Post.
In addition we are now hearing reports from international Christian relief teams on the ground in some of the most affected areas. They are assessing the situation and seeing how they can work together with local authorities and the local Church in Turkey to meet the most basic needs of those who have survived but are now homeless.
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Here are some of the projects we are focusing on right now:
1. We are supporting financially a project by an Israeli home builder who will travel to E. Turkey on Monday and will be working with the Church in Diyarbakir to quickly construct temporary housing units for families who have lost their homes in some of the worst affected areas, mainly in the Hatay province of SE Turkey (Ancient Antioch/Antakya) is one of the main cities there. Click here to see the Shelter Project.
2. We also will contribute funds to the Church in Diyarbakir who will be assisting believers throughout the region.
3. We are also praying and waiting for approval to send some families who have lost their homes to stay in a Christian Guest house or in rented apartments in N. Cyprus for the remainder of the winter.
4. We will send funds for immediate relief to families we know that have been affected and then we also will channel other donations through a relief organization started by leaders of the Turkish Evangelical Church: “First Hope Association” which is already on the ground offering basic services to those displaced by the Earthquake.
How to Pray:
1. Please be in prayer for our colleagues traveling in the affected areas for safety and wisdom.
2. Pray for the those obviously suffering from the Trauma of losing family and relatives, that Christian Relief workers would be used to assist and comfort the.
3. Pray for the necessary supplies to reach those who are homeless and for immediate assistance because of the very cold winter temperatures and protection against sickness because of the lack of water and proper hygiene.
Read more in our previous post on how to pray for Turkey and Syria after the Earthquake.
Thank you for standing with the Church and people of Turkey at this time.