Syrian Christians continue to live out their faith with resilience, sharing the hope of Jesus Christ amid ongoing political turmoil and violence. As their country faces deepening instability, they navigate daily hardships, including power outages, water shortages, and threats to their safety. Despite these challenges, they remain steadfast in their mission, offering spiritual and practical support to their communities while calling for prayers and divine intervention.
A report from a Syrian Christian, shared with Christian Daily International, states that the future remains uncertain for many. His name is withheld for security reasons.
The government is more focused on "whitewashing its brutal history in the eyes of the international community, mainly Western nations, rather than addressing the dire realities faced by Syrians within the country," the report laments.
The "crumbling infrastructure" includes inadequate healthcare, as thousands of employees have been fired because of their ethnicities and religious backgrounds, the report says.
Power outages have worsened, with the previous regime of former President Bashar al-Assad allowing six hours of electricity per day, now reduced to four hours under the current Islamist interim government—sometimes limited to just two hours. Water shortages also persist, as water pumps connected to the electrical grid struggle with the limitations of power usage.
However, the report highlighted the most critical issues as "blatant lawlessness and the lack of security; daily thefts, kidnappings, and reprisals."
"From the outset, numerous areas, including Christian neighborhoods and villages, have been targeted by jihadist groups," the report says. It added that iinitially, Syrians were willing to see violent incidents as isolated and worked "tirelessly" to stem the tide of violence, but "instead of improving, the situation worsened."
These troubles culminated in two "critical" recent incidents, according to the report.
The first occurred on Feb. 28 in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, home to a Christian community. Druze militias shot a soldier affiliated with Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Sunni Islamist coalition, at a checkpoint. A ceasefire was hastily agreed upon, but the next day, rumors spread that the family of the slain soldier sought revenge. They retaliated by attacking Jaramana, killing a member of the Druze militia and injuring 10 others.
Local Christians canceled Sunday services and prayed as hundreds of armed HTS soldiers descended on the area that Sunday, intent on wresting Jaramana from the militias.
"By God's grace, after hours of negotiations, an agreement was reached: those responsible for the soldier’s death would be handed over, and HTS troops were permitted to enter Jaramana for a military parade," the informant said.
The second incident occurred on March 6 in the coastal region between Latakia and Tartus, inhabited by the Alawites, an ethnic group linked to former President Assad. Open Doors reported 1,500 dead, mostly civilians, but noted that contrary to some other media reports, there was no evidence of Christians being targeted.
According to communications from the new regime, several soldiers also died after militias still loyal to Assad attacked a checkpoint near Jableh city, the Syrian Christian’s report says. HTS soldiers launched a search for the culprits, and a former Assad-era mayor declared the formation of a "Military Council for the Liberation of Syria," further escalating tensions.
"Through connections with church members and families in the coastal region, we learned that the violence had escalated into what can only be described as a massacre and ethnic cleansing, primarily targeting Alawites," the report said.
"The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the deaths of 1,383 by March 12. Still, local estimates suggest between 7,000 and 12,000 people have been killed, including at least seven Christians."
The Syrian Christian also conveyed the anguish of a "ministry colleague," a lecturer at a University in Latakia, who lost many students to the violence.
"I haven’t slept for two nights," the academic reportedly said. "It’s horrifying—entire families wiped out. I can’t forget their cries as they pleaded for help before they were killed by those jihadists."
Another volunteer, identified as "Brother J" from Banyas, said the killings were indiscriminate but that he trusted God for the outcome.
"No one knows when it will be their turn," Brother J reportedly said. "Cars with no license plates, masked militias—it’s a nightmare. However, I have the joy and peace of Christ; I am ready. I surrender my life to You, Lord! May Your will be done!"
Brother J encouraged his Alawite neighbors and prayed for them, urging them to trust in God.
The report also noted that the new interim government acknowledged the atrocity and launched an investigative committee to meet with the families of victims. "However, this gesture feels insufficient in the face of such widespread suffering," the Syrian Christian added.
He called for prayers for churches in Syria: "Pray for boldness and wisdom for the church to fulfill its role as peacemakers, promoting God's justice, mercy, and reconciliation among Syria’s warring factions. Pray for divine guidance and protection over church leaders and members as they navigate this volatile environment."
He also asked for prayer for the current government and the religious identities within Syria.
"We believe this is a pivotal moment to break the chains of oppression and bring spiritual liberation to Syria, knowing that the Holy Spirit who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4)," the informant added, requesting additional prayer for evangelistic opportunities.
"Pray for open hearts among Syria’s diverse ethnic and religious groups, particularly Alawites and Sunnis, many of whom are disillusioned by the current regime’s brutality. This is a divine opportunity for the church to proclaim the hope and eternal security found in Christ."
"This is a historic moment for the church in Syria," the Syrian Christian concluded in the report. "After decades under the Assad regime and even centuries of oppression, fear, seclusion, and fragmentation, we believe God is calling us to rise, preach the Gospel, and make disciples among all ethnic and religious groups.
"The current crisis, while devastating, presents unprecedented opportunities to reach those who have lost hope in earthly systems and point them to the eternal hope found in Christ.
"May our Heavenly Father, by His Spirit, lead the body of Christ to unite and stand together in fervent prayer and faith, working through love and believing that God's kingdom will come and that His will be done in Syria as it is in heaven."
