A Syrian Christian now living in the UK is helping to bring hope for the future to his native land as part of a worldwide advocacy campaign.
Rami (who can’t use his real name for security) co-ordinates ‘Hope for the Middle East’, working with the charity Open Doors.
The advocacy campaign seeks to maintain a presence in the Middle East for the church and to show that it has an active role to play in the future of Syria and the region as a whole.
Although fear is growing and the situation seems bleak in Syria, Rami says if the Christians leave the Middle East it’s like God’s presence leaving. He says: “The presence of the church is vitally important, as it gives encouragement and hope to desperate people who have very little hope.”
The way that Open Doors is tackling these issues involves working with indigenous church leaders in the Middle East, engaging with governments and decision makers across the globe, alongside the goal of collecting a million signatures in support of the campaign.
The One Million Voices Petition aims to underline issues of discrimination, dignity and recognition, and will be presented to the UN Secretary General in June next year.
