Monday, March 6, was the one-month mark since deadly earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria. Days and weeks have passed, but trauma and grief remain.

CAM staff members spent several weeks on the ground in Turkey, researching needs and ways to help. Supporters’ funds are enabling us to support trusted contacts who are providing basic food items, tents, blankets, heaters, and other supplies for earthquake victims.

After visiting an earthquake-affected city, a CAM staff member said, “The sheer scope and size of the devastation is incomprehensible! Your mind can’t believe what your eyes are seeing! Every building is either reduced to a pile of rubble, pancaked down, barely standing, or has major structural damage!”

“I’m not new to devastating scenes,” he continued, “but this was 100 times worse than anything I’ve ever seen. You just have to block out the face that every building was the home of numerous families, and in the ones that came crashing down, many were killed . . .”

Ways to pray:

  • Pray for families who have lost family members, friends, and neighbors. The death toll now passes 50,000.
  • Pray for peace for the thousands facing terror and fear.
  • Pray for wisdom for staff and contacts as they seek to help. The needs and requests for help are many.
  • Pray that God would touch hearts through this tragedy.

Trauma

Aftershocks have continued to shake the region. On Tuesday, a 5.6 magnitude aftershock shook parts of Turkey, causing more buildings to collapse. Fears are still fresh from the deadly earthquakes of February 6, and these shocks bring terror. Many people are terrified of entering their homes and spend nights in their cars or in parks instead. “Fear and trauma is a real thing to these people,” observed a staff member.

Grief

One woman in Turkey told the story of her aunt’s family who died in the earthquake. The family spent days buried beneath the rubble of their collapsed, multi-story building. The desperate father managed to crawl through tiny holes and avenues, pulling his way toward the top of the wreckage. But he never made it out alive. His body was finally recovered, and it was suspected that he had only passed away two or three days before. A woman who was rescued from the same building several days before said that while she was under the wreckage, she heard several girls’ voices before they, too, passed away.


To help support the Earthquake in Turkey and Syria program, please click below to give a one-time gift.

One-time Donation