The situation in Syria is getting worse
The Marist International Solidarity Foundation Onlus (FMSI) is promoting a support campaign to help the Blue Marists in Syria. If your local area would like to collaborate, please visit its website: https://fmsi.ngo/ for more details or contact them directly at [email protected].
Below is a letter that FMSI sent last week to the Marist world as well as a letter from Br Georges Sabé, a Blue Marist.
_____________
Dear brothers and lay Marists,
As you surely know from the press and from the international news, the situation in Syria is getting worse and worse. Last week, Br Georges Sabé of the Blue Marists of Aleppo, rang FMSI, who is already supporting the Marist projects in Syria. He informed us of a dramatic event that is happening outside the city of Afrin, about 40 km from Aleppo, where more than 150,000 people have escaped from extreme violence. Most of them are children and they do not have anything now, not even clean water, and are seeking refuge.
FMSI has already launched a solidarity appeal to support the important activities of the Marists of Aleppo, but unfortunately there are now greater and more urgent needs. In these tough circumstances, we believe it is important that the Marist Solidarity Network make this appeal known in your own realities, if you can, to truly support our brothers in Syria as a global family. During these last few days, Br Georges and his group went to those places on an exploratory mission accompanied by the Syrian Red Crescent. We will give you further details as soon as we have more information on the activities that the Blue Marists will be able to carry out to support these families.
For any additional information or questions, you can contact us with this email: [email protected] . We appreciate your kind attention and trust that all of us Marists can unite to support those suffering from such a dramatic situation.
Letter from Br Georges Sabé
“A month after leaving their homes and lands, their city Afrin, occupied by the Turkish army the families are living the drama of displacement and insecurity. A population in disarray … a desperate population. Children who have not been to school for months and sometimes have not even ever been to school before… sick… pregnant women… old people… people who fled the war wandering in the night and cold… rain and bad weather… Seeking refuge… A school… A tent… A shop or a house to take shelter… A provisional that may be the last … A situation that may drag on. Us, Blue Marists, have chosen to move towards them … for a new beginning … putting all our experience … all our spirituality, all our strength as witnesses of hope. The urgency of the situation calls us to go out, to leave, to be present, without forgetting the 1,000 families we support in Aleppo. We will experience a new beginning with 800 displaced families or residents of Kafar Naseh.”