Syria (MNN) — Alawites in Syria — once favored under Assad — now face violence, displacement, and deep need. But many are open to the Gospel like never before.
The Alawites, a Shia offshoot and religious minority in Syria, revere Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, believe in reincarnation, and teach that women are excluded from heaven. Yet today, many are eager to know Jesus as their Savior!
Pierre Houssney from Horizons International shares, “[Alawite] people are so curious about the gospel. We’re praying with them, we’re preaching to them, and they’re very, very open to the message. So this is a huge gospel opportunity as well as a humanitarian crisis.”
But what’s behind the current humanitarian crisis?
Damascus, Syria (photo courtesy of abd sarakbi via Unsplash)
During his time in power, Syria’s former president Bashar al-Assad — an Alawite — granted his people unfair advantages in jobs and education. Now that he’s gone, public anger has turned against them.
The crisis intensified when Sunni militant groups entered Alawite-majority areas — often shared with Christian communities — and began massacring residents.
“Now they’re just getting downtrodden and massacred and driven out,” explains Houssney.
Fleeing for their lives, many Alawites escaped to Lebanon with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Some have taken shelter in graveyards, facing desperate conditions with no clear plan or hope of returning home safely anytime soon.
Local ministries are doing what they can, but resources are limited. The most urgent needs are food and hygiene supplies. Houssney adds: “As quickly as we can, as sustainably as we can, to try to run the race for the gospel and meet the people in their time of need, which also often coincides with their time of spiritual openness.”
Alawite refugees in Lebanon often fall off the global radar, but their needs are real. Among them are both new believers and sincere seekers of truth.
You can help Alawites in their search for Christ! “Find a group that can work among the Alawites in North Lebanon and support that group,” says Houssney. You can also visit the Horizons International website to join their mission of offering both physical and spiritual help.
Pray for God to send more workers, as the harvest among the Alawites is ready.
“What I know is that I can’t ripen a people group, but I can respond to God’s ripening. I can’t make the Holy Spirit move into a group at a certain time, but when I see the Holy Spirit moving, I can follow that!” says Houssney.
Header photo courtesy of Ahmed Akacha via Pexels
