Open Doors, Jun 27 2013
Hanna lives with her husband and two young daughters in Damascus. Working as a teacher, Hanna shares what daily life is like living and working in Syria:
It’s especially hard for the kids; the whole situation visibly affects them. In some parts of the country the schools are closed, but our schools in Damascus are still open. Last week one of the parents came to me crying about her boy. He used to be a good boy, but starting a month ago he began acting really nervous and aggressive towards others. We try so hard to be good parents but we see them change. Last week while being dropped off, one of the girls couldn’t stop crying. She was making horrifying noises; she really didn’t want to come to school. She didn’t want to leave her mother because she was afraid that she might never see her mother again. I tried to comfort her by telling her about the angels that protect us. Together we read Psalm 91. From that day on, she read the Psalm every day and she doesn’t cry anymore when she has to go to school.
Living with God really is the only way to cope with this war. I’m also afraid to bring my own daughters to school. When they are gone, my husband and I fast and pray until we see them return home safely. I hope and pray my daughters will survive the war. It breaks my heart to say that I can’t be sure of that. Danger is everywhere. I try to prepare them for the moment I hope will never come. I teach them one thing, the only thing they should do: to tell their killers: Jesus loves you.
A lot of men are forced to participate in the war on one side or the other. Gunmen come to the houses and say: if you don’t come and fight with us, we will kill your family. So they go. I cry with the women whose husbands have gone away. The church tries to help their families. By our actions we show them the love of Christ: it doesn’t matter if they are Christian or Muslim: God’s love is for every human being.
I feel blessed and touched by the fact that so many people around the world are praying for my country and my family. I’m happy to share with you that school is over now so my two young girls don’t have to go out of the house every day anymore. God protects them.
When people are fasting and praying He will show His glory. We believe in prayer and we know how powerful it is. We hope that the Syrians will see the love of Jesus. We hope that they will find the cross and will forgive each other. We hope that our children will remember to always tell others, even killers, that Jesus loves them. We pray that God will glorify His name upon this country and the whole world will know that God loves the Syrians.
*Hanna requested to use a pseudonym, to protect her identity.
Hanna lives with her husband and two young daughters in Damascus. Working as a teacher, Hanna shares what daily life is like living and working in Syria:
It’s especially hard for the kids; the whole situation visibly affects them. In some parts of the country the schools are closed, but our schools in Damascus are still open. Last week one of the parents came to me crying about her boy. He used to be a good boy, but starting a month ago he began acting really nervous and aggressive towards others. We try so hard to be good parents but we see them change. Last week while being dropped off, one of the girls couldn’t stop crying. She was making horrifying noises; she really didn’t want to come to school. She didn’t want to leave her mother because she was afraid that she might never see her mother again. I tried to comfort her by telling her about the angels that protect us. Together we read Psalm 91. From that day on, she read the Psalm every day and she doesn’t cry anymore when she has to go to school.
Living with God really is the only way to cope with this war. I’m also afraid to bring my own daughters to school. When they are gone, my husband and I fast and pray until we see them return home safely. I hope and pray my daughters will survive the war. It breaks my heart to say that I can’t be sure of that. Danger is everywhere. I try to prepare them for the moment I hope will never come. I teach them one thing, the only thing they should do: to tell their killers: Jesus loves you.
A lot of men are forced to participate in the war on one side or the other. Gunmen come to the houses and say: if you don’t come and fight with us, we will kill your family. So they go. I cry with the women whose husbands have gone away. The church tries to help their families. By our actions we show them the love of Christ: it doesn’t matter if they are Christian or Muslim: God’s love is for every human being.
I feel blessed and touched by the fact that so many people around the world are praying for my country and my family. I’m happy to share with you that school is over now so my two young girls don’t have to go out of the house every day anymore. God protects them.
When people are fasting and praying He will show His glory. We believe in prayer and we know how powerful it is. We hope that the Syrians will see the love of Jesus. We hope that they will find the cross and will forgive each other. We hope that our children will remember to always tell others, even killers, that Jesus loves them. We pray that God will glorify His name upon this country and the whole world will know that God loves the Syrians.
*Hanna requested to use a pseudonym, to protect her identity.
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