'Ray of hope in the darkness'

The announcement of a 22 January 2014 date for the Geneva II talks on the future of Syria is ‘a ray of hope in the darkness’.

So says Baptist Stephen Rand, the Advocacy Director for Open Doors UK & Ireland, which is running a campaign on Syria.

‘In August we were anticipating US air strikes on Syria,’ said Mr Rand, a member of the Fresh Streams leadership team.

‘Now we have a date for talks in Geneva. When a Christian mother in Damascus asks ‘Why does no-one care that Christians are dying?’ we can tell her there are those who care.’

He said the announcement of the Geneva date came immediately after an Open Doors Pray for Syria event in Oxford, and has given added impetus to Open Doors Save Syria campaign.

Already over 250,000 people from more than 70 countries have signed a petition urging all those with influence and power to do everything possible to protect the lives, livelihoods and freedoms of all the people of Syria and in particular safeguard the future of the Christian communities.

By Tuesday 10 December—International Human Rights Day—they hope to have 500,000 signatures that will be presented simultaneously in New York to the UN missions of the five permanent members of the Security Council and to many of their embassies across the world. In the UK a request has gone in to present it to David Cameron at 10 Downing Street.

‘It’s all about turning up the volume,’ Mr Rand explained. ‘Each signature on the Save Syria petition has been a voice added to the global chorus of support for Christians in Syria.’