“I
wrapped my arms around them and
tears of joy filled my eyes!”
.
Spotlight on Emmanuel
.
A
community sustained by love in the
middle of a war torn city
.
Report by André J. Codouni
The man and his wife,
both leaders in the community Emmanuel,
had left Aleppo for a couple of weeks to
be with their daughter as she delivered a
baby far from the insecurity of the city.
Now they felt compelled to hasten back
because of the love they had for the
Lord’s work and for the brothers and
sisters they had left behind. As they met
up with the others on their return, the
man described the overwhelming joy he felt
when he hugged and kissed the others; in
his words: “As I wrapped my arms around my
brothers and sisters, tears of joys filled
my eyes”…
Emmanuel, a community made up of families,
single people, young and old, currently
consists of eighty five members. They give
witness in the middle of a life or death
struggle within an area close to the center
of Aleppo; routinely the members are asked
how they fare in their circumstances and
they promptly answer in so many words: “Our
fight is of a spiritual nature and what we
are doing together has tremendous importance
in the balance of things”. Another adds:
“For us what is at stake is the future and
the survival of the Christians in Aleppo,
Syria and maybe all of the Middle East”.
This deep conviction goes hand in hand with
reaching out to others with excitement and
zeal. One hears them repeating “Now, we are
seeing the fruits of reaching out to others,
more than during times of peace. People are
responding and committing themselves to
Christ, sometimes instantly”. A couple of
months ago they finished giving a life in
the Spirit Seminar and they prayed with
about thirty new members who want to
continue with the group.
war
torn Aleppo is the largest city in
Syria
The situation in the center of the city has
increasingly become more difficult to bear.
Real threats surround them. ISIS and other
groups have encircled the middle of Aleppo
threatening to kill all “Infidels”. The
uncertainty they live under from one day to
the next is naturally unbearable. Food and
heating fuel are hard to find. Sometimes the
population has to survive without any supply
of fresh water for as long as two weeks.
People live in constant alert; they
relentlessly hear sounds of explosions in
the background to ever remind them that
things are not normal. There is the danger
of snipers and sleep is regularly
interrupted and parents worry about their
children and their safety. Jobs continue to
be extremely scarce. Prices have more than
tripled and essential commodities are very
hard to get.
great loss of
lives and traumatized survivors
in Aleppo
The strategic importance of Aleppo cannot be
exaggerated. It is the largest city in Syria
and is situated right in the middle of many
junctions and strategic areas. The situation
there has become exceedingly challenging.
Yet Emmanuel members choose to stay. The
Lord formed a people in the midst of what is
looking more and more like a city in ruins.
They have banded closely together around a
common mission; they come together to pray
and to be guided together daily by the Lord.
Their faithfulness is an inspiration to many
and their joy is contagious. They see
themselves “as disciples on mission” and
they are committed to remain together and in
support of each other. They boldly encourage
others to join with them.
many
churches and monasteries in Aleppo
have been destroyed in
the conflict
Until about four years ago Aleppo had been a
peaceful, relatively prosperous city known
for its spice rich, flavorful cuisine as
well as strong social and family bonds. The
Muslim and Christian population had
peacefully lived side by side for centuries.
Aleppo had been a refuge where many of the
Christians persecuted within the region of
Asia Minor had previously converged. All too
fast, however, everyone was caught by the
whirlwind of events. Christians were labeled
“infidel” by armed extremist groups; church
groups were suspiciously censored if not
persecuted.
In the middle of that situation and for the
courage with which the members remain in the
city, one is compelled to ask them “What are
the things that inspire you to stay?” The
simple answers one hears repeated with
sincerity do reveal a striking unity of
vision within the group. A couple tells “We
came back for the mission”; another adds:
“Here, I find meaning to life”; a young
woman adds: “To experience joy and peace
even in the middle of the war”; a young man
volunteers, “To continue to share daily
strength, consolation and support with the
others”.
All will tell how mutual care keeps them
going and many give witness to the “benefit
that comes from God’s guidance”. “We want to
follow Christ and bring others to him”, a
woman leader says, she has taken as her
daily motto Jesus’ call in Matthew 4:19:
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of
men”.
Jean
Barbara gives teaching to University
Christian Outreach group from
Aleppo
Our brothers and sisters are putting their
words into action. They are consistently
enduring and heroically living the command
to be salt, light and leaven. Here are some
of the stories that they have shared about
which illustrate their extraordinary level
of commitment:
- A young couple was asked by the
husband’s employer to move for a few
weeks to a new location within Syria
where they found safety. There, the man
was asked to stay long term, and was
promised a pay raise and a secure job;
even a year’s stipend and pay for his
wife was put on the table. The man
however decided not to take the offer
even at the risk of completely losing
his position. Why? Because he said: “We
could not bear to not return to Aleppo.
Our greatest fear was to miss out on
helping with the mission God has called
us to with the others”. This young
couple continues to inspire many with
their dedication, faith and generosity
and they are determined to sell all in
order to keep “the pearl of great
price”.
- This wholehearted dedication permeates
the whole community; when the group was
invited to attend a retreat given by the
People of God (Lebanon) in the Syrian
coastal city of Tartous on the
Mediterranean, not too far from the
border with Lebanon, the members had to
travel under the threat of danger for
about fifteen hours through a dozen or
so checkpoints. At the end of that
grueling trip, they arrived with
cheerful spirits against all odds and
when they met up with their Lebanese
counterparts, everyone was overcome with
admiration by their joyfulness and
enthusiasm.
- The group also perseveres in
intercession for their own needs and
they are supported by our prayers in the
Sword of the Spirit. A senior woman
leader excitedly tells about how the
group interceded for a crucial access
road into the city to open. “Just like
in Joshua 6:20”, she said, “on the last
and seventh day of our humbling
ourselves before God, the access road
was open for delivery of essential goods
for survival, and the “walls of Jericho
came tumbling down”. The exact same set
of events happened again a few months
later.
- One young man recounted how after
prayer and consultation, he decided not
to travel abroad: “I felt the Lord
leading me to postpone the opportunity
to travel and take a secure position in
the United States in order to spend
another year of service and outreach
with Emmanuel”. That young man is
actively serving now in the community
and his church.
Emmanuel is steadfast in their faithfulness
to the Lord, please continue to pray for
them and for those leading and ministering
to them.
André J. Codouni
is a member of the People of God
community in Beirut,
Lebanon.
