The Levant Arabs settled all over the Arabian Peninsula and later migrated to North Africa. They are spread from Israel to Kuwait and as far east as Iran. "Levant" is a broad term that includes several groups of Arabs: the Jordanian, Palestinian, Iraqi, Chaldean, and Syrian Arabs. Each of these speaks a different form of the Arabic language.
Before the Syrian Civil War began in 2011, there were already 18 million Syrian Arabs in Diaspora. This earlier group was mainly comprised of people seeking economic opportunities, though there were also political refugees. Most of these people have financial and educational means. They are (to various degrees) assimilated into a different culture.
Most of the Syrian war refugees are in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey or Germany. They also live in dozens of other countries.
Syrian refugees had to flee for their lives from Syria’s Civil War between 2011-24. The situation is taxing Lebanon, a country that has sustained far more Palestinian refugees than they can handle. Lebanon relies on foreign aid. They are reluctant to grant citizenship since their country is already overcrowded with refugees. There was also a 29-year period when Syrian troops occupied Lebanon and abused the Lebanese people. This has left the Lebanese leery of their Syrian neighbors. For these reasons, any help offered to Syrian refugees in Lebanon comes from outsiders.
Most Syrian Arabs in Lebanon are Shafiite Muslims or Alawites. The Shafiites are one of four schools of Sunni Islam. There are Shia splinter groups among them, namely the Twelvers and Imamis. However, Syrian Arabs have also had a strong Orthodox or Maronite Christian presence.
Recent Syrian refugees often face trauma. They suffer from survivor’s guilt and shame that they couldn’t stop the mayhem. Commonly, they lost homes, friends and family members. Many need trauma counseling and people to help them get re-established in a new country. They also face a high unemployment rate. To make matters worse, there is a lot of sexual violence against Syrian girls and women.
Pray for loving Christians to offer trauma counseling and other services to suffering Syrian Arabs.
Pray that the Diaspora situation will provide Syrian Arabs the chance to embrace the only savior.
Pray that Syrian refugees will spend time reading God’s word and discipling new Christian believers.
Pray for Syrian Arab Christians who will disciple others and teach them to do the same.
Pray for Syrian Arab family leaders to have dreams of the victorious and righteous Christ and share their experiences with many others.
Scripture Prayers for the Arab, Syrian in Lebanon.
https://www.arab-reform.net/publication/mapping-the-syrian-diaspora-a-global-player-in-the-reconstruction-of-syria/
https://www.newarab.com/features/syrias-revolution-through-lens-diaspora
https://css.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2023/04/18/the-syrian-diaspora-solidarity-and-the-humanitarian-bridge/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrians_in_Lebanon
https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2024/04/22/syria-lebanon-fear-xenophobia-violence
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
