Syrian countryside. Image courtesy GAiN USA
Lillith* was living in Homs, Syria with her husband, 3 children and parents. Lillith’s husband had a good job in an industrial company, which provided enough money to care for their family and several older relatives in their neighborhood. In May, fighters stormed Lillith’s village and started torturing and executing entire families. Lillith’s husband feared for the safety of his family and relatives and encouraged them to flee to northern Lebanon to escape the brutality.
After gathering the small amount of belongings they could reasonably carry, Lillith, her children, parents, relatives and some neighboring families started the journey towards safety. However, Lillith’s husband stayed behind to engage in the fight, promising to join them later.
As Lillith’s group and hundreds of other families tried to cross the border, fighters hiding in the bushes ambushed them. Lillith and her children watched in horror as people were executed by gunshot to the head or by having their throats slashed. Lillith and her family were able to escape, but several of her neighbors were captured and murdered as they tried to run.
When they crossed over the border, Lillith and her family found themselves not only navigating through the losses of their homes, jobs and friends, but had lost their legal status and identities overnight. Without housing, work and no way to contact her husband to even know if he was still alive, Lillith is facing a dark reality filled with much pain, fear, and uncertainty.
Unfortunately, Lillith’s story is not unique. Thousands of other Syrian men, women and children have experienced horrendous death, violence and loss in recent months. Prior to assessments completed by GAiN and its partners, only secular organizations and unorganized local efforts were addressing the situation.
Understanding the suffering that this type of crisis and loss can cause, GAiN, has already committed to ministering to and serving people like Lillith and others like her who have endured the unthinkable in recent months. By implementing a highly relational, holistic relief approach GAiN and its partners have been able to serve more effectively. And, it is through this ministry of caring relationships that people are hearing the hope and receiving the ultimate healing.
*Name changed for security
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