We have been focused on both short and medium term needs right now - food, medicine, tents, shelters, blankets, coats and shoes for the survivors.
TURKEY: One of our partner's leaders lost 5 family members in one town. He visited the local hospital which had lost its kitchen and he offered to help. He setup a food kitchen in the cafeteria to serve hot meals at the hospital. The hospital leader was so grateful, they setup a team to take over the feeding of the patients, workers and visitors of the hospital. They are serving 2,000 hot meals per day.
Another team went to Adiyaman and Antakya to setup sturdy tents and shelters. In Antakya, there is no water, no electricity and they had to bring in everything. They are now feeding 5,000 people per day. The governor met with our team and was so impressed that he promised to help the ministry to keep serving there.
SYRIA: Our Medical Life Center teams have been giving out food, blankets, mattresses, diapers and other necessities in villages around the main cities. They have also brought medical teams to treat patients and dispense medicines, particularly to children and older people who are on chronic medication that lost all their medicines and possessions.
We are tentatively planning longer term goals to 1) continue humanitarian relief, 2) open a
children's shelter that will reunite orphans with extended family and 3)
renovate damaged homes and apartments.
Thank you for partnering with us in our relief efforts.
Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to give a quick update. We have pre-emptively sent $10k each to our key field partners ($20,000 total) in both countries due to the dire, immediate need.
Our friends have groups serving food and giving out supplies setting up temporary shelters for families in Antakya, Adiyman, Gazientap and Malatya. As I watched their videos of street after street destruction, I was reminded of the devastation in Haiti some years ago where ultimately an estimated 220,000 people died. We pray it won't be anywhere near that toll, but the affected area is truly vast.
One of our Middle East Life Center teams was able to drive to the Latakia area and distribute supplies and do assessments for future help. They also reported much terrible destruction and loss of life. This region has already been much damaged due to the Civil War that they've endured for more than 11 years.
We are working together on short, medium and long term plans as we try to help the survivors.
Thank you for your support,
Jerry