God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.

Psalm 46:1-2

It’s heartbreaking sometimes

We pray for peace, and we pray for safety. Sometimes it feels like our prayers are answered, but sometimes, well, Mother Earth can be very challenging.

Today I’m lifting up prayers for the people of Syria and Turkey as they face another round of disasters that they do not have the resources to mitigate. The world is pitching in. Will it be enough?

It rarely is enough

The truth is, the people of these regions are always hit harder. I felt guilty worrying over our water damage at Pilgrim Church this week. I felt guiltier as the death toll in Syria and Turkey passed the 7000 mark, and it’s not even the whole story.

A few years ago my family and I had the blessing of a trip to Istanbul. It was a great experience, and we reveled in the rich culture, the beautiful art, and the welcoming people. Everywhere we went, we felt we at the intersection of east and west, and it was powerful. The food alone was worth the trip! Turkey is a great nation, and both it and Syria are steeped in so much history.

But millions still live in poverty and without effective safeguards for earthquakes.

Here’s a link to a page at Time Magazine if you’d like to contribute to helping people in the aftermath. Thank you for considering it. the page lists a number of resources, many of them local and on-the-ground in the region.

The Southern New England Conference of the UCC also has a donation page where you can contribute. Please be as generous as you can, and keep them ALL in prayer.