Tag Archives: War and conflict

Syrian refugee crisis: Moved to prayer

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Denise Koenig in Christian Witness, Disaster Relief

You won’t hear much in the media about the conflict in Syria — but it’s causing significant human suffering that warrants our attention and prayer. As the crisis approaches its second anniversary, the number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, and Egypt is quickly approaching 1 million. Here are some ways that you can pray for all the people affected as the unrest continues....

A burden that children should never have to bear

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Elizabeth Ranade-Janis in Disaster Relief

An 8-year-old Syrian refugee child named Layla* shares, “I saw my cousin dying in front of me, so I always see this scene in front of my eyes.” As children all over North America happily rummage through the cheerful remains of Christmas Day’s joys — festive gift wrap strewn about, the latest version of Halo blaring from 40-inch television screens — the existence of Syrian children presently seeking refuge in Lebanon is one far less carefree. In this season of joy, it’s difficult to fathom that at least 66,000 children like Layla are coping with the loss of home and childhood as their families struggle to survive the displacement of war and onset of a cold, snowy winter in Lebanon’s...

Aid worker’s diary: A cry for Goma

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Aimee Manimani in Disaster Relief

Congolese walk to a refugee camp in Gisenye, Rwanda. (2012 Reuters/James Akena, courtesy the Thomson Reuters Foundation – AlertNet). * * * Rebel forces overtook Goma, the largest city in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on November 20, forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee for safety. Much of the country and its borders are now under the control of this rebel group, known as the M23 rebels, and the situation remains tense. World Vision evacuated its staff to Gisenyi, Rwanda. Aimee Manimani, a World Vision aid worker in the DRC, shares her thoughts and feelings on leaving the city of Goma....

Why did I pray?

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Kari Costanza in Disaster Relief

World Vision’s Kari Costanza traveled to Rwanda, where she met Solange, whose life was turned upside-down in a short period of time. Fighting caused Solange and her family flee their home in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After arriving in Kiegeme refugee camp, Solange lost her 3-year-old daughter, Rebecca. Kari met Solange in a hospital, where she was staying with her baby, Esther. Kari shares her thoughts on meeting Solange and Esther — and the tragic news she received after returning to the United States....

In South Sudan, a connection between conflict and hunger

Posted on April 28, 2012 by James Addis in Disaster Relief

With more food on the planet than ever before, it’s difficult to believe that people still go hungry every day. You might assume that natural disasters, drought, or a lack of access to necessary farming equipment are to blame for a lack of food. What may surprise you, though, is that conflict is a leading cause of hunger. Currently, conflict between Sudan and South Sudan is causing food shortages affecting millions, leaving children most vulnerable. While it is easy to see the role that a natural disaster or drought plays in hunger, the connection between conflict and hunger can be complicated. To make this complex issue easier to understand, World Vision’s James Addis outlines some key questions below....