Confusion compounds despair in Libya.
Protestors torched the home of Derna’s mayor on Monday night, the first unrest since floodwaters overwhelmed the port city last week. As reporters described their removal from Derna, telecommunications that survived the flooding were cut short on Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, the United Nations dramatically revised the disaster’s death toll after receiving conflicting information from aid agencies. The fatalities now stand at “Approximately 4,000 people versus 11,000 people,” Joe Wiley with SAT-7 USA says.
“That sounds hopeful, but it’s still tragic for anyone who has lost their family or friends.”
Libya has been a failed state for over a decade, with no government exercising nationwide authority since 2011. There are very few evangelical Christians in Libya, and it is extremely difficult for believers to practice their faith openly.
“Tragedies like this have people asking tough questions. They will ask their religious leaders, but also people will ask, ‘Well, what does the Christian Bible say about this?’” Wiley says.
“It’s difficult [to answer those questions] in a country without many Christians.”
That’s where SAT-7 comes in. “SAT-7 provides Bible-based programming that gives hope to people searching for it,” Wiley says.
“We can answer even these most difficult questions and give eternal hope in Christ alone.”
Pray for Libya alongside SAT-7 using this short video.
Ask God to show mercy upon Libya. Pray for organizations working alongside Libyans to help them process the tragedy and grief they’re experiencing.
Pray that “even amid devastation in Libya, that people [will] grow to understand that [God] loves them and He has provided a way in Jesus Christ that will bring comfort and eternal hope that can never be taken away,” Wiley requests.
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This story originally appeared at Mission Network News and is republished here with permission.