Christian missionaries share the Gospel in Aleppo as the war rages on

Christian missionaries continue to share their hope in Christ in the Syrian city of Aleppo even as bombs and bullets ravage the city.

According to Christian Aid Mission, ministry workers in the region have baptized more than 230 people this year.

The director of a ministry based in Syria recounted the story of a woman who was told by a man in her dream that she will be visited by three men who will bring her good news.

"She continued to have this dream for six days in a row," the director told Christian Aid Mission. "On the seventh day, one of our teams was doing home visits and decided to visit a new house. The three of them sat down in this woman's house to have a short visit, but when they opened their Bible, she instantly fell to her knees," she added.

When her husband and children arrived, she excitedly told them, "These are the people that the man in my dream told me to meet!"

The family put their faith in Christ after the missionaries told them about his death and resurrection.

Baptisms can be difficult to perform in the country because of the different Islamic groups vying for control. As a precaution, ministry workers are careful not to announce plans for baptisms when they invite people to attend meetings. It is only offered to the participants when they are already gathered at a secret venue.

The ministry leader recalled the time when the ministry prepared for a day of baptism but some of the new believers did not arrive. They found out later that the new believers had been killed when they went to their homes.

"This is why it is best not to announce baptisms," he said.

The city is dangerous enough for civilians who do not have to hide from Islamic radicals. About 400,000 to 500,000 people have been killed since the rebellion against Syrian president Bashar al-Assad began five years ago.

The director said that there is so much to be done and the workers are completely exhausted. He said that the local missionaries are in need of emotional and financial support.

The U.N. does not seem to be optimistic about the situation in Syria. Last Saturday, Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman from the U.N. secretary-general's office, stated that the organization was not able to reach people who are in need of assistance in Aleppo. Dujarric also remarked that he cannot expect an improvement in the city's conditions.