German Clothing Foundation supported aid for earthquake victims

On February 6, 2023, an enormous earthquake shook the Turkish-Syrian border region in particular, but also had repercussions far beyond. The overall situation was unclear for a long time, but it soon became clear that there were many thousands of dead and injured, and thousands more were left with nothing because their homes had been destroyed.

The Protestant Church in Syria was involved in the relief effort, providing shelter, food and blankets. People who had fled the earthquake onto the streets found shelter in the rooms of the Armenian Evangelical Church and a school run by the Evangelical Church. Many families were among those affected, and the snowfall and icy temperatures were a major challenge, reported our partner "Gustav Adolf Werk", which has been in close contact with the people there for many years.

Pastor Enno Haaks is General Secretary of Gustav Adolf Werk e. V. and spoke to the helpers on site.

What do the pastors there report? How are the churches helping?

I spoke to Pastor Haroutune Selimian from the Armenian Evangelical Church in Aleppo on the phone last night. The situation is catastrophic. People have come to church full of fear. There is a medical center in the Bethel church. There they treat the injured, collect and distribute food and blankets. They are also trying to accommodate people who have lost their homes in churches and schools. Selimian told me that they survived the war and will survive this too. But they need help.

And in Latakia?

Pastor Salam Hanna from the National Evangelical Synod in Syria and Lebanon told me that they have felt two earthquakes and ten aftershocks. In addition, there is rain and cold weather. The situation is unstable and terrible. They have also taken in families at the church and provided them with tea and fruit, as all the stores are closed. Joseph Kassab, the General Secretary of the National Evangelical Synod, emailed us that entire villages have been destroyed. He wrote: "Of all the disasters that have befallen us, this is the one we were not prepared for.

What is needed most urgently?

People need mattresses, blankets and diesel oil for electricity and heat in the cold winter. We are sending the first aid money to Beirut in Lebanon. The big question at the moment is: how do we get the aid into Syria? This is not easy under the war conditions.

The German Clothing Foundation is deeply affected by the events. In order to tackle the most urgent problems quickly, the foundation has therefore made 10,000 euros available as emergency aid. Thanks to the support of numerous donors, we were able to work together to help the aid workers on the ground.