News > CIS

by James P.

On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria. The epicenter was 37 km west–northwest of Gaziantep. So it was decided to move to three cities: Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, and Adıyaman. The earthquake was at a maximum in parts of Antakya in the Hatay Province. There was widespread damage in tens (maybe hundreds) of thousands of fatalities. We witnessed very severe damage and people’s grief in all those places. In Adiyaman, we coordinated our efforts with an active Christian working volunteer, Mr. Ender P. Under his supervision, Container Houses and tents with suitable living conditions are being installed within some camps and designated areas for the people who lost their houses. Apart from this, lots of everyday necessities are being distributed to suffering people from a designated warehouse. We did our best to bring as much as we could, buying hygiene supplies, socks, and shoes with the offerings from brothers and sisters. We also delivered some medical supplies and massage guns. Mr. Ender and Mr. Murat have expressed their gratitude on behalf of the affected victims in this time of trouble for all people in Turkey. In Kahramanmaraş (Hayrullah District), we coordinated our volunteer efforts with Mr. Halil Aslan, the official representative of the City Hall. He organizes camps, providing everyday food delivery, clothes, blankets, and hygiene supplies. We tried to provide heaters for the tents since the weather was still cold, especially at night.
Finally, we delivered funds to the AHBAP Foundation, one of the most trusted relief organizations in Turkey, providing constant help to the suffering people in the earthquake-affected areas. The government of Turkey is doing its best to clear the affected areas of debris and provide food and necessities. Some buildings did not collapse but are critically damaged. People can no longer live there, so this effort is going to take some significant time and resources in the future. This county needs “workers.” God’s loving hand can be seen in the events. His call to repentance can be heard. Please pray for us to overcome grief and bear much fruit.

These tents for disaster victims were built with the support of Korean UBF.