A Syrian pastor has written a letter outlining the state of the Church in that war-torn nation—and the Evangelical Alliance UK is circulating the letter to Christians around the world, encouraging them to pray. The letter says the Church is united in 24-hour prayer. “We thank God because the Church is united across the country in prayer 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” writes the anonymous pastor, “praying for the glory of God to dwell in the Church, for an end to the bloodshed, for peace in the country, for keeping the Church’s faithful witness, to reach out to the suffering, to share the divine cure of the gospel, to speak the word of the Lord in all boldness.” The pastor also writes that this turmoil in their country was unexpected. They never imagined that the violence would displace millions from their homes and cause people to live in parks and wilderness areas, with tens of thousands of deaths impacting families. “I can cry like Nehemiah because the walls of our cities are burnt and the people are in great trouble and disgrace,” continues the pastor. “The only good news is that the Church is moving wholeheartedly to help relieve some of the suffering, and the Lord is surely opening hearts to receive the gospel.” Steve Clifford, general director of Evangelical Alliance UK, emphasizes that “Christians are caught in the crossfire and are being driven from their homelands on account of their faith. This is a complex situation, but we need the media to tell the story of what’s really happening to the Church.” Clifford adds that the “maturity of suffering Christians in Syria should prompt us all to prayer and action.” The Syrian pastor writes that the Church has decided to adopt the motto of a Lebanese pastor who lived through the heat of civil war in his own country: “Our loyalty is to Christ, our submission is to the laws of the land, and our love is to all.” A copy of the letter can be downloaded at cryoutnow.org. Click on media gallery tab and drop down to newsletters.