Hundreds of thousands of refugees have been flooding into the European continent seeking asylum from the unrest in Syria. However, refugees have been faced with delay, mistreatment, and lack of access to food or proper shelter for several days. Christian relief organizations have been taking steps to provide immediate needs for the refugees.
"It is the largest crisis of its kind in the region since the Second World War," the Samaritan's Purse said in a statement.
Indeed, the United Nation's refugee agency estimates some 366,000 refugees traveled to Europe since the beginning of the year.
Samaritan's Purse is currently sending personnel to Hungary and other parts of Europe and partnering with the local churches to provide immediate aid and hygiene items.
World Vision is currently working in Lebanon and Jordan, countries which have taken in millions of Syrian refugees, by providing personal and household supplies, and offering supplemental education programs for children to prepare them to return to school.
Many Christian organizations are providing aid within the home country of Syria. World Vision, for example, is providing food aid, hygiene support, and health assistance in northern Syria. Food for the Hungry is currently working with local churches in and around Syria to meet immediate needs for those who have been displaced from their homes.
"Refugees do not flee to Europe because they want to -- they go because the risk of staying is greater than the risk of going," Food for the Hungry states. By providing aid and sharing the gospel to those within their home country, the organization hopes to offer safety so that they would "no longer feel forced to risk the dangerous journey to Europe."
Christian Aid Mission and Tearfund are two other organizations that have also been providing resources and medical assistance as well as sharing the gospel to displaced individuals within Syria. One individual named Samir who met with Christian Aid Mission workers received New Testament Bibles which he gave to his family. He told Christian Aid Mission that "knowledge of God's love is giving them some comfort amid the turmoil in their lives."
"The family would like to go to Europe, but they have no money to get there," said the workers who met with Samir. "They've considered moving to Lebanon, but Lebanon is trying to keep all Syrians out. Samir and his fmaily hope that they will be safe in Tartus and someday get jobs that will enable them to send their children to school."
Tearfund also offers counseling to those in Syria who are traumatized from the civil war, and partners with other organizations in Lebanon and Jordan to offer assistance to refugees there.
Meanwhile, reports say that more than 16,000 migrants flooded into Austria since Saturday, and that more than 17,500 people came into Germany through Munich.
The refugees' journey to Europe, and their stay in Europe, is a dangerous one, however. More than 2,800 refugees have died or disappeared during their escape to Europe, and upon arrival to Hungary, many were forced to wait in holding centers with bad conditions and heaped with trash. In Germany, refugee camps were attacked by anti-immigrant extremists more than 300 times this year.
In the midst of the influx of refugees, European leaders have made commitments on how many refugees they would be willing to take. German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged over $6 billion towards the refugee crisis, and added the country would be willing to accept 800,000 migrants. French President Francois Holland said France would accept 24,000, while British Prime Minister David Cameron has said Britain will take 20,000 refugees by the year 2020.
