Geneva II: Talks See Promising Steps Towards Peace - 28 Jan 2014

There is a war raging in Syria, at this moment, as you read this. 

And people are meeting, Government officials from all over the world, in an attempt to resolve the conflict. Conflict that has lead to the end of more than 100,000 lives and has made refugees of nearly 10 million.

What is there to pray for more important than that?

Last week we called for a commitment to pray for Syria

Progress for Peace

Sunday saw the remarkable breakthrough of permission being granted for women and children to peacefully leave Homs, the besieged city at the heart of the conflict, with the opportunity for medical care upon exit. 

On top of this, discussions have begun regarding the allowance of safe passage for aid convoys to reach the area, with an estimated 800 families still residing in the city. 

But prayers are still needed to push this important progress through. The rebel party are suspicious of the motives behind the government’s actions, and their concerns are stalling the arrival of aid and escape that so many need so desperately.

The weekend saw the first face-to-face meeting between representatives from the conflicting sides, and though no words were directly exchanged between the two, this is still great progress.

With the positions of the government and opposition being so fundamentally opposed on such fundamental aspects of these discussions, yesterday’s meetings became, unsurprisingly, deadlocked; with the opposing sides defiant in their positions regarding the future of Syrian President Basher al-Assad.

While both wish to end the conflict, neither are willing to back down.

Meetings will continue this week, and with them our prayers are needed.

A continued call to prayer

Thank God for the encouraging and remarkable progress that has already been made. 

Pray for those affected 

Pray for those in Geneva working for peace.
 
Pray for God’s Kingdom to come and God’s will to be done.

If prayer can change the world, then what needs our prayers more than Syria at this time?

All images are used by permission in accordance with commons copyright license terms:
Feature image is a derivative of the image 'Men help a wounded girl', 'Children chanting', 'Syrian boys in Idlib', 'Buildings in besieged Homs' by Freedom House