The latest brutal attacks in Idlib remind us of the seemingly never-ending conflict that has torn Syria apart over the last eight years, now widely considered to be the worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Artillery strikes in rebel-held areas have provoked chilling reports from trapped residents, and photos have emerged of bloodied and terrified children caught in the crossfire.
The UN estimates that there are one million children living in Idlib province, each of them at risk of injury or even death every single day. And the recent threat of demolitions in a Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon show that the problems don't end once families have found refuge.
Children are innocent victims of the violence in Syria. An entire generation are growing up knowing nothing but war and destruction. Millions of children and their families – those able to escape the relentless warfare – are now languishing in camps and settlements in neighbouring countries.
And it's not just Syria; half the world's refugees are children. Some have fled crises we are familiar with – like in the Middle East, Myanmar, and Venezuela. Others have lived through stories that have not been as widely told: Uganda alone hosts refugees from more than eight African countries. Imagine spending your entire childhood in a refugee camp: not able to attend school, never having a permanent home, and often in danger of exploitation.
Childhood should be about fun and games — not worrying about if you'll have somewhere safe to sleep that night. When my children were young, all I wanted to do was protect them and make sure they had the very best start in life. It breaks my heart that for so many around the world, childhood is being lost. And we don't know what the future will hold – mass migration, exacerbated by conflict, is likely only to increase as the climate crisis gets worse.
On our own, we cannot make sense of the relentless devastation we see all over the world. It's intractable, complex, and seemingly insurmountable. It can be easier to look away and not think about the suffering families are facing every single day.
So what should be the Christian response? Many countries across the Middle East and Africa have welcomed millions of refugees, living out Jesus' call for us to be good neighbours and show hospitality to those who need our help. The response in Europe, meanwhile, has been very different; characterised by barbed wire, armed guards, and a culture of hostility. As Christians, we need to do more.
When we decide to follow Jesus, we commit to a different response – a different way of witnessing, a reason to keep hope alive, and a call to keep loving. Throughout the Bible we see that God's heart of compassion is with the poor and the outcast.
We may find it challenging but we cannot stay silent on this issue. We must respond to God's call to care for the vulnerable.
"I tell you the truth, when you did it one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it for me." (Matthew 25:40).
We are compelled by God's love to be his hands and his feet in this world. We can make a difference in standing with the world's most vulnerable children, as a sign of God's unconditional love.
Because we serve the God of unimaginable possibilities, we can't give up. By keeping up hope and continuing to reach out in love to refugees, we live into the truth that "What is impossible with men is possible with God". (Luke 18:27).
As a trustee of aid agency World Vision UK and a pastor, I believe that Christians can stand in the gap, by demonstrating the love and compassion of Christ, to help millions of child refugees fleeing violence all over the world.
My prayer on this day, 20 June, as we recognise World Refugee Day, is that you will join World Vision and the Church to work together with children and their communities to transform the lives of the world's most vulnerable children.
You can find out more about how you and your church can support and pray for World Vision's work to support children in refugee camps here: https://www.worldvision.org.uk/get-involved/prayers/refugee-crisis/
Rev Dave Richards, Rector of St Pauls and St George's Church in Edinburgh, and Trustee of World Vision UK
