Horror and Hope in Syria

Protesters mourn in Damascus. Photo credit: flickr/Syriana2011. Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.

As the Arab Spring continues to flourish in other countries, Syria is descending into civil war. Pro-democracy protests have led to a ruthless backlash from the Assad government. The death toll is in the thousands, with estimates from activists inside the country claiming as many as 40,000 casualties due to the unrest. The most conservative death toll estimates include hundreds of children. Civilian neighborhoods are under attack, the target of rockets and tank shells from government forces, while their snipers aim for anything that moves. Even in the face of these unspeakable atrocities, there are glimmers of hope.

I moved and the snipers saw me. They tried to shoot me in the head.”- Syrian witness, via Doctors Without Borders

A ceasefire has been reached between pro-government forces and rebels in the town of Zabadani. “Cooler heads in the military somehow prevailed over whoever has been issuing orders to shell Zabadani with heavy artillery. In the end it was in the interest of the two sides to prevent a bloodbath,” an opposition leader said of the agreement.

Injured people are dying because we cannot treat them. There are still people in the street who are injured. They are missing body parts. We cannot pull them in because of the shooting. They will die in the street.” -Syrian witness, via Reuters

In the besieged city of Homs, the International Committee of the Red Cross was allowed in, surprisingly, to give out food, medical and hygiene supplies, as well as blankets.

Everyone’s becoming used to death here.” -Syrian witness, via CNN

Elsewhere in Syria, a retired French surgeon has crossed into the country in order to lend a hand, albeit travelling among the less than desirable cargo of gun-runners and rocket launchers. “It’s not good,” Dr. Bérès said of his arrival. “In principle, it is forbidden for humanitarian people to travel with weapons. But it is their country and their war. We are the observers. We are just here to help in some way.”

I am amazed by these examples of hope because of their ordinary shape: some food, medical supplies, a blanket, the care of a doctor, and people on opposing sides arriving at their best senses to decide against continued bloodshed. Sometimes, hope is a small thing, nothing more than standing up at the right time. Hope is responding, without waiting for a perfect outcome or insisting on a complete victory. Hope is saying “I can’t fix this mess,” or as Dr. Bérès put it “I am not optimistic about Syria…it is a very difficult situation,” and yet, being there. “People here are happy to meet a surgeon from a well-developed country who just wants to be with them,” he added.

Hope can be nothing more than looking in people’s eyes, spending a few moments with them, and making some repairs while the world continues to collapse around them. What courage it takes to be present in what feels like a losing scenario and give of one’s self regardless, even if the gift is only the offer of a brief respite from what has otherwise become a living hell. In the case of Syria, my hope begins as a confession. It is the acknowledgement that I don’t have any ideas of my own before turning to ask God that He help the Syrian people.