But for local women, the quake is only one crisis among many. Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan four years ago, the militant group has tightened restrictions on women’s travel, education, employment, and even the use of their voices. The UN reports that these abuses of women’s rights are being normalized. 

Recently, Nehemiah* with FMI heard directly from Afghan pastors about the social boycott women are enduring: “Many women feel trapped, silenced and powerless. This isolation has further increased levels of depression, anxiety and hopelessness among women, while also placing immense pressure [on] families who relied on women’s income.”

(Photo courtesy of FMI)

Yet in places of despair, the light of the gospel shines. It just has to be shared carefully. In Afghanistan and similar cultures, a man may only speak with a woman if they are related. 

“In many cases, FMI’s pastors, their wives are the ones who go and talk to these deprived women who [do not find] hope in [the] Taliban system, but they find hope in Jesus Christ,” says Nehemiah. “This is the only channel we have at the moment where women feel connected and encouraged.”

Recently, one pastor’s wife showed the Jesus Film to a dozen women. Pray that many more will know the hope of Christ! 

“Pray for FMI partners in Afghanistan and their wives, who are really struggling and [who] put their life on [the] line every day,” says Nehemiah.

“Pray for their safety, their wisdom. [Ask] God [to] open avenues and doors for these pastors and their wives so they can connect with other Afghan families, women, children, so they can do ministry.”

Learn more about the work of FMI here. 

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Farid Ershad via Unsplash.

The catastrophe and following aftershocks took the lives of more than 59,000 people in the two nations. Dozens are still missing, with their families left searching for answers. 

Patrick Anthony with FMI says rebuilding has been slower than what Türkiye’s government promised. Hundreds of thousands of Turks still live in temporary containers awaiting new homes. 

“There is some concern that more and more people are going to leave, which is going to make just even stabilizing that [region] even harder,” Anthony says. 

But gospel ministry continues. One of FMI’s partners, who we’ll call Pastor Enver, travels to the earthquake zone each month. He serves alongside the Church there, bringing them any donations he’s received. 

“He’s done a lot of counseling too, meeting with people who need to talk about their situation or just providing some spiritual care,” says Anthony. “He says praise God, they’ve seen many people respond in faith, come to faith in Christ through this.”

Devastation from the 2023 earthquake. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

Anthony notes that although rebuilding efforts are frustratingly slow to many, “Really, we’re not to be putting our full trust in government. It’s a good call for the Church that the Church, whether you’re in Türkiye or somewhere else in the world where there’s been a devastating event — the church is called to step up and to meet needs and share the hope of Christ.”

Please pray for strength and effective gospel proclamation for gospel workers like Enver. Pray for survivors wrestling with anger and grief over the loss from the earthquakes, that God will lead them to hope in Christ. Pray that those who know Christ will stand in faith and trust, sharing the good news with their neighbors. 

Finally, as part of the Body of Christ, consider donating to support aid and gospel hope for the people of Türkiye. Click to visit FMI’s website and learn how to partner with them. 

Header photo of container homes for quake survivors in Turkiye, courtesy of FMI.

Samuel* with Redemptive Stories encourages readers to step into Syrians’ shoes. If the barrage of post-earthquake updates is fostering compassion fatigue, it’s not hard to imagine what Syrians must feel.

“You’ve heard about the big two earthquakes that happened on the same day on February 6, but there was another earthquake that occurred two weeks later on February 20 that had a significant effect,” Samuel says. “Everyone who was finally starting to get back to their homes once again had to run fleeing through the streets.

(Photo courtesy of Horizons International)

“Excessive fear is continually part of their lives. There’s been over 60,000 aftershocks that have occurred…. So the level of fear that people are living under, particularly children, is staggering.”

For Syrians, fatigue runs deep with fear. It’s been 12 years since the civil war began, followed by an economic crisis, COVID, food shortages, displacement, sanctions, and the list goes on.

It’s a problem too big for one person or even one ministry to solve. But nothing is too big for the Lord.

Your compassion and prayers are making a difference.

Pray the peace of Christ over all of Syria as people seek healing and hope.

Samuel asks, “Pray against the spirit of fear that exists currently through Syria, through Turkey, and through Lebanon. I’ve even heard today someone say that it’s a spirit [or] principality that is across the Middle East.

(Photo courtesy of Ahmed Akacha/Pexels)

“Secondly, the deepest prayer is that God would continue to provide for the needs of suffering people — 85-90% of the people that live in Syria continue to subsist on the relief aid packages because of the sanctions [and] the economic crisis.

“[Pray] that there would be healthy churches, healthy communities of believers that would continue to share as they are caring, and that they would respond well.”

Redemptive Stories supports Christian ministry efforts among Syrians. Amidst the rubble and devastation of war, they are seeing miraculous Gospel fruits.

“God is already moving,” says Samuel. “He’s going to keep moving and He’s going to keep changing people’s hearts and bringing them to Himself.”

Check back tomorrow as we talk about another antidote to compassion fatigue for Syria. Find your place in the story!

*Psuedonym

Header photo of boy sitting in a broken car in Syria, courtesy of Ahmed akacha/Pexels.

Now, a couple of months out, what is life like for earthquake survivors?

Unto is the humanitarian arm of Cru and sister ministry to Jesus Film Project. Al Goff, President and CEO of Unto, says in Turkiye there are still daily aftershocks and over two million people are sleeping in tents.

“It’s almost like the place is always moving so people are scared to death to even move inside buildings that look stable for fear that they are cracked and could come down in any one of a number of aftershocks they’re feeling that day,” says Goff.

(Photo courtesy of Unto)

“One of my staff was there. After he left after about a week, he described it as like being at sea. After a week, he got to an area that wasn’t shaking and he felt that sensation of being on a boat because it was shaking so much.”

Unto supports local Turkish Christians as they provide their communities with emergency aid like tarps, blankets, meals, and water filters. But maybe the biggest act of love is just sitting and listening to quake survivors.

Goff says, “The stories have just been pouring out of people because typically all they have to talk to is other victims…. When you’ve been through a trauma like that and you’ve only been around other victims, no one wants to listen to your story. So when you can get around people that weren’t at that earthquake and [they] ask, ‘Tell me about your experience,’…it’s such a relief. It really allows people to breathe.”

Churches also want to help kids process what they’ve been through and find ways to still be kids.

“We’ve also been providing recreational equipment because there are all these kids with nothing to do. School is canceled, and there’s nothing to do so providing even soccer balls and things like this,” says Goff.

“Or…providing just little toys like a stuffed animal that they can just hug and hold and cry, because all of their toys are gone beneath the rubble. It can be just breath to a mama, to a to a child who just needs something to hug and hold because the ground is still shaking and every time it shakes, that terror hits them again.”

(Photo courtesy of Horizons International)

This critical ministry is in it for the long-haul as Turkiye grapples with relief needs now months after the quake is out of the mainstream headlines.

You can support the Unto Disaster Relief Initiative here!

Goff says Unto is “resourcing the Turkish Church to help their own people so that they, not Unto, are seen as the real champions in ministering God’s love.”

Pray for opportunities to encourage Turkish quake survivors with the Gospel and God’s comfort.

“These people are growing weary and we don’t want them weary in doing good. We want to be Aaron and Hur holding up their arms in prayer as they minister to the incredible needs of these people.”

Header photo courtesy of FMI.

The Turkish City of Izmir suffered the worst of the damage. The initial quake collapsed 17 buildings, killing at least 91 and injuring over 900. Days after the disaster, people were still being pulled from the rubble, including a 3-year-old girl who was trapped for 65 hours.

“My dad is from Izmir,” says Gülsüm, Deputy Director of SAT-7 Türk.  “I was born and raised in Istanbul, but I used to go to Izmir during summertime. I experienced some earthquakes, but they were usually 4.6 or 4.8. This is the first time in my life that I’m hearing of an earthquake that big in Izmir.”

SAT-7’s response to the earthquake

More rescue attempts in Izmir after the earthquake. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

The earthquake has greatly distressed many people in Turkey, Gülsüm says, “Many of our viewers are wondering whether the earthquake is a punishment from God. We were asked whether natural disasters occurred because we had angered God. . . . So we guided them into prayer. We prayed with them and we try to remind them that no, this is really not a punishment. We don’t know God’s ways. But this is not a punishment.”

SAT-7 Türk continues to cover the earthquake, giving people information and leading prayers for the people affected. The disaster left thousands of people homeless, and cold weather will arrive soon. Gülsüm says, “We are also publishing earthquake-related messages from various church leaders on our news page. By publishing these messages, we are also trying to build solidarity for Izmir among the Christian community.”

As the people of Izmir continue to live in fear and worry, pray God would comfort them and that many would find hope in Jesus.

Pray also that Turkey will begin constructing buildings able to better withstand earthquakes. Gülsüm says the country is crisscrossed by fault lines, and more serious quakes could come at any time.

The header image shows a child being rescued from one of the collapsed buildings in Izmir after the earthquake. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

The quake affected Both Turkey and the island of Samos in Greece, and so far, more than 90 deaths have been confirmed. Several hundred have been injured, many buildings collapsed, and streets were flooded in a mini tsunami.

Christians in Izmir

Map courtesy of the United States Geological Survey, Public Domain.

Joe Handley from Asian Access says they have heard from Christians in Izmir, the hardest-hit city in Turkey, and he says the believers there have suffered no harm. “Church members are trying to reach out to the people that have been most impacted, providing food and fresh water. Now, I’ve got direct requests to pray as [cold] weather and aftershocks are really impacting the city. It’s pretty rough in these regions.”

Asian Access is expanding its influence across the entire continent of Asia, including Turkey. In fact, Asian Access just began working in Turkey about three months ago.

These Turkish Christians want to share the Gospel as they provide food and shelter to those in need after the earthquake. Handley says, “The leaders that I’m talking to want to be peace agents in society. They want to bring the true everlasting peace that only Jesus can bring. Pray as they share the Gospel with their neighbors and those impacted.”

Relations between Turkey and Greece

Relations between Turkey and Greece have been rough, with the two nations embroiled in an energy standoff this year that nearly led to war. However, both countries offered condolences after the earthquake. Handley says, “Erdogan, the leader of Turkey, has reached out to the Greek leadership saying, ‘I know we have our differences, but this is the time we need to come together.’ That’s really a good sign.”

Pray Turkey and Greece will have better relations going forward. And pray Christians and Turkey will be witnesses to the peace and love of Jesus.

The header image shows a collapsed building in Izmir after the earthquake. (ApChrKey, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Three Earthquakes & 350,000 Displaced

The first earthquake on July 29 was a 6.4 magnitude earthquake. This triggered more than 500 aftershocks, the 6.9 magnitude earthquake on August 5, and the 5.9 magnitude earthquake on August 9.

These are some of the worst earthquakes in death toll and impact in the last ten years in Indonesia.

In December 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a number of countries.

Now, over 400 people have been reported dead because of the collapsing of buildings and around 350,000 people have been displaced.

“Earthquakes in places where the construction is sometimes done without much government supervision and without a whole lot of like rebar or support systems means that a lot of buildings are not very secure and not built to withstand an earthquake,” Operation Mobilization’s [OM] Ellyn Schellenberg says.

As a result of extreme infrastructure damage, hundreds of thousands of people are living in open fields in makeshift shelters because their homes have been destroyed or it’s unsafe for them to return.

A Long Road of Relief Ahead

Humanitarian organizations have been arriving on the spot and begun distributing water, food, medical supplies, blankets, and field tents. However, aid has been slower to get to the most affected areas because of their remote locations.

“I think the government is working hard to meet the needs of the people and working with NGOs and INGOs, which is great, but it’s going to be a long-term commitment to seeing people placed back in safe homes again.”

Authorities have estimated that the island of Lombok has suffered more than 5 trillion rupiahs, or $342 million, in damages.

Spokesman of Indonesia’s National Disaster Investigation Agency, Sutopo Nugroho, said it will take trillions of rupiahs to restore the damages “and a lot of time to heal the lives of the people and the economy of Nusa Tenggara Barat,” which is the province home of Lombok.

Schellenberg says oftentimes, once a country is hit with a natural disaster, tourism takes a hit. However, one of the best ways to build up any country, including Indonesia, after a disaster is to visit. It helps the economy and plants seeds of growth even after disaster relief teams and organizations have left.

OM’s Work

OM works in Indonesia. Fortunately, employees have not been impacted because they are on a different island.

Schellenberg says, “Our team leader said that he had not received any direct requests from connections and partners that they have in the country of people who were affected and needed support. So, in that case, if [he] received a direct request, then he would step in and help… but until then, they don’t have an immediate plan to get involved.”

(Photo courtesy of Operation Mobilization via Facebook)

However, OM asks for your prayer for the nationals affected, the response teams, and for the government as they address this issue. Pray for safety and for people as they grieve the loss of friends, family members, and their homes. And pray for wisdom.

“There’s a lot of coordination between local government authorities and businesses that are involved in the relief as well and that often times, in situations like this, there’s a lot of pressure and a lot of people are looking, and watching, and prayer for wisdom,” is needed.

Aftershocks continue to shake the island and people are traumatized by the disaster. They need support, but they also need hope.

Pray that Christian organizations will form relationships that move people and help them to learn about Jesus.

“I think that prayer is our most powerful tool and often times, in the west that maybe just because we can’t physically be there, or we can’t give immediate physical assistance that we think we can’t do anything,” Schellenberg says.

“But that by praying for people, God answers our prayers and we’re able to cover people and ask for protection.”

According to ReliefWeb, nearly half a million people were affected by the quake and 247,000 were in immediate need of emergency supplies. The devastation killed more than 100 people and wounded more than 500.

What made this earthquake so difficult to address was how remote many affected communities were. Major landslides and damaged roads made travel nearly impossible. The rebuilding and aid process in PNG is still ongoing.

MAF Aerial Survey of PNG following several strong earthquakes, February 2018. (Photo courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship)

Mission Aviation Fellowship works alongside ministries and organizations to serve isolated communities in PNG. They deliver health and educational supplies, food, and provide medical evacuations.

When the major earthquake struck on February 26, Sharlene Coker with MAF says the ministry sprang into action.

“We woke up that morning in the early morning to the earthquake, and once the sun was up we had two aircraft in the air which had already been scheduled to go to that part of the country, checking on the communities. So the pilots took some extra time talking to the community leaders and people on the ground at the airstrips they were at, finding out their needs.

“So we had that information coming in from pilots, and then we also have HF radio. We have people monitoring that on a regular basis. Also, we partner with CRMF — which is Christian Radio Missionary Fellowship — and they are monitoring the HF frequencies at all times. So people would be calling in because cell networks were down and being able to get communication was one of the issues.”

Between the radio communication and an aerial survey, MAF was able to pinpoint areas with the greatest needs following the earthquake. From there, the ministry communicated these needs to other organizations and ministries that could then provide aid and assistance.

MAF also collected donations of food, rice, and water and flew those aid items to the hardest hit areas.

MAF Aerial Survey of PNG following several strong earthquakes, February 2018. (Photo courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship)

“In PNG, a lot of people know that if they can get to an airstrip, help will come. So that is what happened in the weeks following the earthquake.”

The psychological trauma was hard on communities as well. Tremors can bring on a renewed sense of stress and panic in the wake of the earthquake.

Some people have gone back to rebuild, but not everyone can. “There are certain areas…that it is not safe for them to go back in. So there are areas — care centers is what they call them — at the different airstrip areas where many people are gathered and they are still sorting out where they will make home in the future because they can’t get back home.”

Coker explains, “At this time, we’re more in the recovery phase. So most of the supplies going out now are more for rebuilding and hygiene, and organizations are offering training on clean water and how to obtain that and gender protection and different things that need to happen. But rebuilding right now is the main focus.”

While there is demand for rebuilding supplies and aid, there is also a deep desire for spiritual truth in PNG.

“For us, the most important need is Christ, getting the Word of God into people’s hands. Our planes are all equipped with a Wi-Fi Bible and that allows people to use their cell phones and download many items, Bibles, and other Christian resources to their phones. And yes, in the bush airstrips, they have cell phones!” says Coker.

“Our pilots also take out Bibles and Christian resources on their planes in a box wherever they go. Rarely do they come back without an empty box…. People are just hungry for the Word of God.”

Even in the midst of hardship and devastation, MAF pilots and staff in PNG are seeing God move. “We could not reach so many people without the Lord working. Even after the earthquake when many had gathered at the airstrips and they were asking for food and water and basic things, they were also asking for the Bibles. We had calls coming in from the people working on the ground asking us to put Bibles on the airplanes.”

If you would like to learn more about MAF and how you can support their ministry, click here!

One of the best ways you can support MAF and Papua New Guineans is through prayer.

Coker asks, “Pray for safety in flight. The weather here can turn at any moment and it really impacts what we can do. But keeping our pilots and those on board safe is always a prayer request. [Pray] for people to be open to God’s Word; and also for those who have heard it, to really grow in their faith as they get a better understanding of what Scripture is about and what Christ has done for them.”

(Header photo courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship)

The trauma isn’t over

Before the big earthquake, most people didn’t mind small tremors. But Jim Loker, Audio Scripture Ministries’ Latin America Director, says now there’s anxiety with each aftershock.

“When I lived there for all those years in Oaxaca, we had earthquakes all the time. We could see the lamp in our dining area, we could see it move back and forth or you could feel the vibration of the house. But the house never went down. So we didn’t think anything of it. But in this case, people have lost their homes, lost their businesses, and it’s a constant reminder that potentially there’s another strong earthquake coming.”

Loker says one worry is that another major earthquake could strike at night. And if families are sleeping inside before finishing home repairs, they fear being buried alive in their sleep.

“Their homes have been destroyed or they’re partially destroyed where the main walls are tilting. They’re leaning and they could — with another strong earthquake — come down. Because of that fear, people are not wanting to inhabit their homes again. So they’re sleeping in the streets or in lots. They’re sleeping under tarps. They’re sleeping in tents waiting for a time when they can have the money available again to rebuild their homes.”

The feelings of post-traumatic stress are understandable in the wake of Mexico’s September earthquake. Surviving a major disaster like that is a haunting experience. Months later, government assistance is limited and people are still desperate for help.

“The people in the one main town where the earthquake hit in Juchitan down near the coast of the Pacific Ocean have had their homes destroyed. Their businesses were destroyed. When I was there about a week ago, the banks had been all destroyed. All of them were closed down. The hospital had been relocated because that was partially destroyed and potentially collapsing. So they have a mobile hospital on one of the basketball courts on the outskirts of town. Multiple churches have been destroyed. So yes, it’s an ongoing situation.”

Persisting in ministry

One of ASM’s New Testament audio recording projects in Mexico was also affected by the big earthquake. “The actual house that we were recording in collapsed. Thankfully our technician and the readers had already left…. But one of our main readers had lost a couple of his family members who were killed during the earthquake.”

Several of the other readers also had to break from the work while they sought shelter and basic necessities. So naturally, the project was put on hold for a time.

(Photo courtesy of Audio Scripture Ministries)

Now, Loker says, “We’re back recording and hopefully we’ll be able to finish that New Testament in the next month or so. But it was a tough time for our technicians, for the readers, and for the people in the village because of that strong earthquake.”

Despite the loss and mourning with their team, ASM has pressed on in serving the communities that need encouragement…that need Jesus. ASM is currently distributing audio Bibles and critical aid through trusted ministry partners in Mexico.

“We’ve been able to help them with some of the needs that they have with food and water and tarps and building materials. But the sad situation is that the people are in need of homes. Their churches need to be rebuilt. And that’s going to be a long-term process. We see this as being years before people get back to life as normal.”

With the aid, of course, ASM’s ministry partners are also distributing audio Bibles to be a lasting source of comfort. “People who have received the Scriptures are now able to be comforted by God’s Word. Most of the people there are not readers. So in two of the areas where the earthquake hit — Juchitan where they speak Sapotek, and also in San Mateo del Mar where they speak a language called Huave — both of those areas have the Scriptures available.”

Pray. Give. Go.

So how can you be a help and encouragement? Loker says, “As always: praying, giving, and going. We can pray that people would be encouraged. We can pray that those that have lost homes and businesses will somehow find a way to move on, that they’ll find the funding to rebuild their homes and set up a business someplace else. Pray that those that need audio Bibles would have them.

(Photo courtesy of Audio Scripture Ministries)

“Then, with giving, we can give towards the people’s needs. The need for building materials or for food and temporary housing. There are still needs out there. Also, people can give towards the purchase of audio Bibles. There are many, many needs for audio Bibles still in these areas for people who don’t have access to Scripture, although many do have access to Scripture.”

To support ASM’s ministry in Mexico, click here to go to ASM’s donation page and choose one of their Mexico projects in the giving drop-down box.

Finally, Loker shares, “We would love to see a church bring a group down to work with us. They would be distributing audio Bibles and they would also be helping to rebuild a church or maybe build some people’s homes. We have some teams coming down in February and in March. We have other dates open.”

If you’d like to learn more about how your church or Christian group can join ASM on a missions trip, click here for ASM’s contact page.

Header photo courtesy of iivangm via Flickr under Creative Commons: https://goo.gl/BN4nn4