Syria | March 12, 2024
Syria doesn’t have the NHS - but it does have the church
As the UK celebrates 70 years of the NHS this week, it can be easy to take it for granted that medical care will be readily available and affordable. But for those who remain in Syria, this often isn’t the case. Many of those who remain in Syria are still there precisely because they need medical care – they are too old or unwell to travel elsewhere and escape the war. But Open Doors local partners are running pharmacies and medical centres and paying for medical care for thousands of families, thanks to your prayers and support.
“Men can live without food, but not without their medicine,” says Elias.
Elias is a volunteer from the Greek Orthodox church in Aleppo, one of Open Doors’ local partners. He organises food distribution to 1,700 families, giving out items such as spaghetti, rice, cheese, tea, and coffee. “The families with babies also get diapers and baby milk,” Elias says.
But many of these families are also coming for medical aid. The church runs a small pharmacy and medical centre. “We’re open daily,” Elias says. “We have doctors checking the people. When needed we also finance the needed treatments and even surgeries in hospital.”
'If one of us gets sick, we can't afford to go to a doctor'
As the UK celebrates 70 years of the NHS this week, it can be easy to take it for granted that medical care will be readily available and affordable. But for those who remain in Syria, this often isn’t the case. Many of those who remain in Syria are still there precisely because they need medical care – they are too old or unwell to travel elsewhere and escape the war.
And as the war makes it difficult to get medicines and other essentials into the country, costs have sky-rocketed. Many price are now nine or ten times higher than they were before the war began seven years ago, making medical care completely unaffordable.
Samer's* family is a typical example of this. He has a job, but still struggles to support his family. "My salary is too low," Samer explains. "I have a salary of about 60 US dollars a month. Half of it goes to the home rent. My family needs between 200 and 300 dollars per month. If one of us gets sick, we can't afford to go to a doctor or buy medicine."
Your support is providing food for Samer’s family to help them survive, and they can go to the local church supported by Open Doors for medical care when they need it. Samer says, “This aid helps us to get through this difficult period. Thank you. The continued assistance you provide gives us hope to continue our life with our families staying in our dear country."
For those with long-term medical conditions, the situation is even more challenging. Abraham* is in his fifties and has diabetes; he recently had a toe amputated. He has a son and three daughters. His son lost his job because of the war, and after being unemployed for some time, he finally left Syria to find work abroad. The three daughters stayed with their parents; two are still at university, while the other has graduated. She is the only one working in the family, and she tries to support them all with her small income, but it’s not enough.
A church member who frequently visits the family says, “In spite of all the difficulties, we can say they are still strong. They look up to heaven and raise their hands to pray to God, and they face all the problems with their strong faith. Thanks to your support, we were able to afford the medical support that they need frequently, in addition to the food support.”
‘God has made us unique for his service’
In providing medical care for families like Samer’s and Abraham’s, you are also helping to provide jobs for others. Priest Tahan was able to start two pharmacies in Aleppo with your prayers and support, offering medicines at reasonable prices, and creating jobs for several young pharmacists. “The people need jobs to be no longer dependent on food packages and other help,” he explains.
Elay Tufenkjy is one of the pharmacists. “This is a very good opportunity for me,” she says. “It’s very good to have a job and an income now.” With the profits of this first pharmacy, the priest was able to open another pharmacy elsewhere in the city.
Other medical professionals feel called by God to stay in Syria and care for their people in this time of crisis. Johan, a doctor who helps the neediest people in Safita in the south of Syria, says, “God gives us many opportunities in life: opportunities to serve Him, and to make His kingdom grow. I feel that God has made us unique for his service, and it’s an honour and a privilege for us.
“Despite everything we do, it is not enough; in everything we do, we come up short against God’s love. We’re not able to pay back the amount of love God has shown us.”
Stand with your church family in Syria
You are not just being the NHS for our brothers and sisters in Syria who are in need of medical care – you are being family for them. Your prayers and support are enabling our local partners to be there for as long as they are needed, not only providing medical care, food and other aid, but also the assurance that the families of Syria are not alone or forgotten.
Please continue to pray for peace in Syria. And until the crisis ends and life can begin to return to normal, please also pray for provision and protection for our church family there.
You can also be an answer to that prayer. Open Doors local partners are providing food for over 12,000 families every month in Syria – but this is only possible thanks to the generous support of people like you. You can’t end the war in Syria, but your gift could make all the difference to one struggling family, putting food in their hands and helping them survive until the crisis is over.
