Churches Are Safe Havens For Syrians of All Religions
Syrians fleeing violence in major cities have found refuge in Christian churches in neighboring towns, writes Salam Hafez. He talks to priests who say their churches are caring for at least 6,000 displaced people, providing Syrians from all religious backgrounds with food, medicine, clothing and even schooling.
Syrians fleeing violence from cities and villages under siege are seeking refuge in Christian churches in neighboring towns.
Christian churches in Syria are caring for at least 6,000 internally displaced people and have formed an outreach service serving thousands more, two priests from Damascus and Homs and a Syrian political activist said.
They provide displaced Syrians of all religious backgrounds with food, medicine and clothing, and have even set up two schools, one in a predominantly Christian village near Homs and another one close to Damascus.
Almost 200 Syrians from Homs are housed in one church in a village that has taken in 400 refugees. A makeshift school for children who cannot return home was built with money donated by Syrians, some of them from abroad. These people cared for by the church are from the Khaldiyeh, Al Qusair and Bab Amr neighborhoods, said Eid, a Homs-based priest.
