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One Million People Flee Syria

Written by Danielle Kinvig

March 12, 2013

They are running for their lives.

Under the veil of darkness, men, women and children move swiftly towards the border. Their homes have been burned to the ground. They have no food. No water. No possessions; only the shirts on their backs.

They reach a fence and scramble upwards. Shots ring out in the distance. As they climb, the shots get closer. Some are hit. Others are caught and tortured. For those that escape, they must find food and shelter. Now, they are refugees.

As the civil war in Syria escalates and violence reaches a boiling point, the United Nations is reporting that over one million people have fled the country to escape persecution and torture. But this number doesn’t tell the whole story. Many Syrians are without passports or identification and are desperate to escape. Fearing they cannot pass through the legal borders, they make a run for it. If they do arrive safely on the other side, there is little room left in refugee camps and they are left to fend for themselves.

The UN Refugee Agency reports that approximately 40% of the refugees are children between the ages 0-11, and 14% are between 12-17. As families attempt to escape Syria, many children are left fatherless.

Over 300,000 registered refugees are living in the bordering nation of Jordan; however, the government estimates the actual number is closer to 420,000. Hundreds more stream in every day. The Jordan government, the UN, and other organizations are trying to meet their needs, but as the crisis worsens, it is not enough. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has warned that the “humanitarian response capacity is dangerously stretched.”

Global Aid Network (GAiN), the humanitarian division of Power to Change, is responding to help the Syrian refugees in Jordan. Our in-country partner is on the ground assisting refugees in the northeastern city of Mafraq. Often, over 20 people are packed into small flats or makeshift shelters. They have no money for rent, heat, food, or medical care.

We are working through the local church, coming alongside these refugees and demonstrating God’s love to them. Immediate financial aid will provide Emergency Survival Kits with food and water, 2 blankets, and medical supplies.

But, to distribute these emergency supplies, we need your help.

Will you partner with us?
Yes! I want to help!