A Barnabas partner wrote these words on 22 April from Aleppo, where our brothers and sisters are suffering greatly as their city is besieged for a second time. The main route in and out of the city has been partially blocked off, restricting the flow of essential supplies. When parts of Aleppo that are home to 400,000 Christians were besieged for months last year, supplies ran so short that children became malnourished.

Christian areas have been hit by mortar and rocket fire, and snipers are active there. On 13 April (Palm Sunday), two Armenian Christians were killed and four injured by mortars. On 17 April (Maundy Thursday), church services were cancelled and roads lay empty as the siege intensified. The following day (Good Friday), Barnabas Aid received a report that 48 civilians had been killed and 245 injured.

Pray that the Lord will protect and uphold our brothers and sisters in Aleppo. Pray that even as they are surrounded by destruction and despair, they will be able to rejoice in the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Ask that supplies will get into the city, and pray that the intense fighting there will soon subside.