With the death toll following the terrible earthquake in Türkiye and Syria continuing to climb and winter temperatures plummeting, Monday’s double earthquake has affected an unthinkably vast area of south-eastern Türkiye and Northern Syria.

In the video above Andy (Unreached Network) and a church leader from Türkiye give some ideas for prayer. We've also summarised what they shared below.

The first thing you can pray for is the Turkish church. It’s a very small but tightly connected community. Most people will have lost loved ones. A senior leadership couple in one town have sadly died and are survived by their young son.

However, whilst they are grieving, the church has been so quick to respond on the ground, with many just filling their cars or trucks with food, blankets and other necessities and heading into the affected areas to provide aid.

Ali a church leader in the area told us: “We sent two teams to the earthquake area and they are providing food. Our goal is to be able to do this 24/7 so that people have access to food and clean water. We’re also trying to buy blankets because there are so many people, 1,000s of people are standing and sitting outside - thank you so much for your support”.

Secondly, please pray for the Syrian response, especially around access to the affected areas. Our trusted partners on the ground are responding from the northern city of Aleppo. The city was already in an awful state following 12 years of civil war and now is unthinkably devastated.

Beyond Aleppo is the rebel held province of Idlib which is the closest to the epicentre of the quake and there is limited access from the north over the border from Türkiye and there is no access from the South, from the government held regions of Syria. Aid agencies are finding it virtually impossible to get into this region and begin to make assessments of the need in the area and to get aid to those affected by the disaster. Please pray that God would open access into these areas!

Thirdly, ask that God would work beyond the politics of Syria’s war and Türkiye’s general election, beyond the ethnicities of Turk, Kurd and Arab. Greater than any international response, let’s ask God to be what Jesus described Him to be, the Good Shepherd searching for lost sheep, or like the woman who lights a lamp, sweeps the house and searches diligently for the lost coin. Let’s ask God, Himself to come and seek and save them in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Points
* Pray for the Turkish church as they respond to the tragedy, for those grieving and serving, pray for the resources they need to serve and care for those around them.
* Pray for the Syrian response – that aid and support can get into the areas which need it
* Pray for God to move in the hearts and minds of all those affected

Originally Posted in a video by Unreached Network: 11/02/2023 (text updated to news item format)

Other things to continue to pray for:
* People to continue to be found alive
* Shelter for those who are homeless
* Aid Teams to be directed to the areas of most need / where they can be most effective

Pete Grieg from 24-7 Prayer wrote the following suggestions:
(1) People Affected - comfort for those who have lost loved ones, houses, the injured / scared
(2) Peacemakers - those offering aid, medics, search & rescue teams
(3) Politicians - co-operation, effective decision making, rapid response
(4) Pastors - strength to deal with trauma whilst supporting / caring for those affected, arranging funerals & continuing to preach the gospel