Call for Prayer

Since the beginning of the crisis in Syria, the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) has been very concerned about what the people of Syria have been going through. The loss of lives and the destruction have often brought us to tears. We continue to pray that God will lead the people of Syria to justice and peace with a government that will have the well being of the people at heart.

Last night, we received a rather distressing letter which has led me to issue this call for the WCRC family to pray along with our sisters and brothers in Syria:

I am sorry to inform you that Bishop Yohanna Ibrahim of the Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo was kidnapped this afternoon on his way back to Aleppo from the Turkish borders. He went there to bring back with him Bishop Boulos Yazaji of the Greek Orthodox of Aleppo. The news which we have received is that an armed group from (Chichan) stopped the car and kidnapped the two bishops while the driver was killed. We are working and doing our best for the release of the two Bishops and return safely. So far we are unable to connect with them or with their kidnappers.

Please circulate this message as wider as you can. We need pressures of all churches in the world and embassies around the world for their release. The Bishop was doing a humanitarian mission to release two priests who were kidnapped months ago.

Please do your best in this critical issue and also we need the prayers of all faithful around the world for their safety.

Yours in Christ

I have known Bishop Yohanna Ibrahim since the for about thirty years now (since the 1980s) and so feel personally touched by this incident.

Let us pray for these two church leaders that they will be released safely, and for the family of the driver who was killed.  Let us pray for the people of Syria.

Thank you very much.

Setri Nyomi (Rev. Dr.)
WCRC General Secretary