Maaloula.

This week, Syrians held their breath as the horrifying news emerged; 12 Syrian nuns have been abducted from the Christian town of Maaloula. Maaloula is a historic city that is meant to be preserved not destroyed. In fact Maaloula has been bombarded by these so called revolutionaries, they have raped, killed, tortured and even worse have forced Christian residents to denounce there own religion in order to survive and those who don’t are beheaded. Syria's Greek Orthodox patriarch has urged Syrian rebels to release the group of nuns who were taken from a convent in Maaloula. Mother Superior Pelagia Sayyaf and 11 nuns were kidnapped from St Tecla Orthodox monastery after it was overrun by rebel forces who had taken control of the city in southwest Syria. "We appeal to the seed of conscience that God planted in all humans, including the kidnappers, to release our sisters safely," patriarch John Yazigi said. "We call upon the international community and world governments to help secure the release the nuns of the St Tecla convent." Yazigi said that orphans who were in the foster care of the sisters had also been taken hostage. Febronia Nabhan, the Mother Superior of nearby Christian convent of Saidnaya, said that the nuns had been taken to the rebel stronghold of Yabroud, 20km north. Not only is that completely disgusting and hateful but it should have been a red light to Christians around the world. This has never been only a Syrian concern it is an international one. The international community has allowed these monsters to completely erode not only a Christian village but also a historic one who still speak Aramaic. So, these ‘moderate’ rebels have called for a revolution; of what kind? One that rapes and tortures their opposition? One that kidnaps nuns? One that allows them to kill journalists simply for having an alternative opinion? That is the ‘rebellion’ and that is what these people want. They aren’t calling for democracy or a better Syria, they are calling for an end to moving forward and they are calling to an end of a sectarian nation. There has never been a revolution built on hate and murder, where are the thinkers, where are the scholars? Please pray for Maaloula and for the kidnapped nuns. God bless the residents of Maaloula, We are with you! Lisa.