I think it is important for people in the West, in developed nations, to learn from people in hard places. Long-time readers may remember my piece For Churchy Americans, about a woman from Iran who spoke words of life in the face of death.
I recently met a Christian leader from the Middle East. He shared with me a message from a pastor in Syria. I think this is important, so I share it in its entirety here. I have only added line breaks.
Waiting death
Here in my room sitting in darkness,
because we get electricity only one hour per day or less,
around midnight,
waiting with others in the building where i live,
death to visit me,
it looks death is playing with us hide and seek.
Two mortars fell on the building in front of us,
another to the right,
another one on a building just in the next street,
but not on ours!
So the question or the questions are:
is the coming building ours?
But when it will be?
Shall I stay in my bed,
so I’ll rest in peace on my bed?
Or should I go down to the ground floor?
But till when will stay there?
Should I sleep,
or it is better to stay
wake up to feel the moment
when death will come
riding on those rockets?
Wow!
Here is another one shaking the big building
of four floors where I live,
pushing the windows violently,
and scary screams blow up from here and there.
But it is midnight,
and no lights
to go out and see what is going on!
And what if another rocket fell down
when I was out to see what happened?
I think it is better to stay
in my room waiting death
who is flying around like crazy,
at least I took a shower few hours ago,
you understand what I mean,
aren’t you?
Here is another one,
I think it is better to keep silent!
This was written over a week ago. I do not know what has become of him.
Please join me in praying for people in Syria and other hard places.
Please share this with others.