Hundreds of thousands of people in southern Turkey and northern Syria continue to need basic supplies following a series of devastating earthquakes and aftershocks last February. To help people who are trying to rebuild their lives, LHM partnered with Lutheran Church Charities to bring emergency assistance along with messages of comfort and hope found in Jesus Christ.
Through the generous donations from supporters of both organizations, around 4,000 people per month have received basic necessities like drinking water, baby bottles, baby food, food for adults, baby diapers, adult diapers, hygiene products, clothes, gloves, shoes, baby shoes, sleeping bags, blankets, and more. LHM staff in the region have been collecting and purchasing supplies to send to a partner church in Turkey for distribution to people directly affected by the earthquake. The amount of funds raised will allow LHM to continue providing ongoing relief for several months to come.
As part of its holistic response that addresses not only the physical needs of recipients but spiritual ones as well, LHM staff members in the region have started visiting one of the areas most affected by the earthquake and building relationships with families and individuals who have been impacted. The staff continues having conversations with these people over the phone and through digital platforms and plans to visit the locations every two months to further expand the relationships.
"Often the recipients of holistic efforts like this desire to learn more about the God who motivates these Christians to reach out in love," says LHM CEO Kurt Buchholz.
During their last visit, staff members met a woman named Zeynep and her 27-year-old grandson, Mirac. They invited the staff into their home (one of the few houses still standing in the city) and talked about how their friends and loved ones had been affected. They were interested in learning more about Christianity when they heard their visitors were Christians. The staff continues to answer Mirac's many questions through WhatsApp, and he is looking forward to their next visit with his family.
LHM staff also met Alparslan outside his tent in a park near several destroyed buildings. Alparslan lost his wife and home to the earthquake and was feeling ashamed about being in such dire need of assistance. He shared that he had entirely lost hope and was in tears to receive LHM's emergency relief supplies. LHM staff continues to build a relationship with him through WhatsApp and knows that God is working in his heart.