The news of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria has our hearts hurting for those who have lost their family, friends, and homes. The death toll continues to rise into the tens of thousands, and many thousands more are displaced and without shelter in the freezing cold.
In the face of tragedy, we all want to help, but we often don’t know how. With the disaster happening 7,000 miles away, most of us can’t go physically serve. But the Church is already meeting needs in Turkey.
We have ministry partners with boots on the ground, helping to love and serve others by meeting their immediate physical and spiritual needs. One of our trusted partners, Elam, is currently working with its local churches in Turkey to help provide food, blankets, tents, and other basic supplies.
Below are some ways you can pray, serve, and give.
Pray
James 5:13 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” So, Watermark Church Family, let us pray.
Pray for our ministry partner and their 50+ church partners in Turkey as they reach out to the communities they are planted in and help families affected by the earthquake. Pray that they would have opportunities to share the gospel.
Pray as our ministry partner and their staff from surrounding countries go into Turkey to serve the people in the middle of the earthquake. Pray that they would find favor with the Turkish government and that they would be able to continue to operate and serve the community as a recognized Christian NGO long after the relief organizations have left the earthquake zone.
Pray for the 3,000 – 4,000 Turkish families in the Richardson/Dallas area that have family members affected by the earthquake. Several of our members have been meeting with leaders at the local Turkish community center to pray with them and explore how we, as a church family, can serve the local Turkish community.
Pray for Syria and their government in the midst of a civil war. Pray that their leaders would have wisdom and clarity as they work on providing aid to those that are in need.
Pray for the families and friends who have lost loved ones or are currently searching for news about their loved ones. Pray that God’s people would share the hope of Christ with them, and that they would be comforted (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
Serve
You can help package meals with our local partner, Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), as they work to meet immediate food needs in Turkey, Syria, and other countries in need. See opportunities to serve with FMSC's Richardson chapter.
As additional local service opportunities become available, they will be added to the opportunities to serve on the Disaster Relief page.
Give
Watermark’s Disaster Relief Fund is designated to give aid and resources to like-minded partners and churches in areas affected by natural and manmade disasters and to deploy teams for relief efforts. You can donate to Watermark’s Disaster Relief Fund here.
If you’d like to donate directly to a disaster response organization, we recommend Samaritan’s Purse and TBM - Texans On Mission.
As Christ followers, our call is to love God and love our neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40). Scripture tells us that prayer is powerful (Mark 11:22-25), that we should use our gifts to serve others (1 Peter 4:10), and that we should be generous when we see others in need (1 John 3:17). We can trust God in the midst of natural disasters, tragedy, and loss, knowing that Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33).