An unprecedented number of Muslims living in the war-torn country of Syria are embracing Christianity after experiencing the love of missionaries and witnessing miraculous healings in the name of Christ.
A ministry leader in Syria told the Christian Aid Mission that despite the dangers of remaining in the country, he and 21 others continue to faithfully serve predominantly Muslim communities, providing medical care, shelter, food, and spiritual guidance for those in need.
He shared how, for many families affected by the ongoing civil war, food is becoming increasingly scarce. However, a miracle occurred when one Syrian mother, who had come to Christ some time ago, prayed God would provide food for her family.
"She prayed, 'Lord, I know you never let us down - we need food for our family,'" the director said. "As she was walking later that day, she found some money on the path in front of her. She was so pleased that God had answered her prayer in such a creative way that she started jumping up and down with joy."
She rushed out to buy bread for her family, and when her neighbors asked where she had gotten the money, she replied, "It was sent to me from God."
"They pressed her to tell them how that was possible, so she went on to share her faith and pray with them," the director said.
Many Muslims are drawn to Christian communities after hearing stories of miraculous healings. The director shared one particularly heartwarming story, where a mother named Nivine brought her paralyzed, 2-year-old daughter to a meeting of one of the ministry teams for prayer.
Fearing he would offend the young mother, the area ministry leader warned her that they pray in the name of Jesus.
"Whatever it takes," Nivine replied, in tears. "Just make her better!"
"Our ministry leader said, 'When we pray, we pray to a living God,'" the ministry director said. "The team explained the gospel to her, and she accepted Christ. Nivine even started coming to the meetings along with her paralyzed daughter."
"About two weeks later, when Nivine was worshiping during a meeting with her daughter next to her, Nivine looked beside her at her daughter and saw the girl smiling," the director said. "Then she noticed that her hands were moving. Was this a dream? But her daughter continued to move. It was true - she was healed!"
He shared another story, where a Muslim named Amad heard about a place in his town where people pray and some are healed. The worsening skin disease of one of his children drove him to visit.
"In a moment of bravery, he brought his son to the meeting place, and the believers there prayed for him," the ministry director said. "The next day the child woke up with nothing on his skin! It was undeniably a miracle. The whole family has come to believe in the Lord, and they want to be baptized."
Many Muslims find that a relationship with Christ brings incomparable joy: one mother, Aveen, along with her husband, Mohamad, and their seven children, are part of a church in an undisclosed town in Syria. Mohamad recently lost his job.
"They are weary of struggling through life," the director said. "What surprises us most about this family is that Aveen and Mohamad both come from very fanatical Muslim families that wish to stone them to death, and yet they still fearlessly display their strong love for the Lord. Despite the difficulty of surviving without work and the threat of persecution, they have the courage and desire to share the gospel with everyone around them."
Christian Aid Mission notes that such stories of salvation, healing, and faith stand in stark contrast to the devastating violence pervasive across the area. ISIS claimed responsibility for bomb blasts in Damascus on Sunday (Feb. 21) that killed at least 87 people, according to the United Kingdom-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, and car bombs in Homs killed at least 59 civilians. On Monday (Feb. 22), Russian forces were suspected in an attack on a hospital supported by Doctors Without Borders that killed 25 people.
The ministry director told the organization that there is a critical need for medicines, medical equipment, food, and other commodities, as 13.5 million Syrians remain in need of care.
"This year we have seriously lacked funding for all our Syrian ministries, and this weighs on me," he said. "Because they don't have the funds for transportation costs, they cannot travel to the villages or areas of ministry where they serve. They also plead for funds in order to take care of urgent medical costs or illnesses that come up. I hear a lot of desperation in their voices."
To learn more about Christian Aid Mission and how you can help, visit their website.
