Syria, my heart is with you

It might have been several years since I lived in Syria, but it seems like too many of the news articles I read touch home as I think of the friends we made in different cities which have been so roughly treated. 

This sign was posted in front of the voting tent during the presidential elections when I lived there.  It says, "we love you" with a big picture of Assad.  (Just in case you weren't sure who to vote for). 

And then you got to walk in and vote either "yes" to Assad, or else "no." And don't forget to put your name and address so that if you write no, someone will make a follow up visit.

 Here's the dorms we lived in, which have recently had some big protests.
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2012/1100/re5.htm
In May, Aleppo University was the scene of the most violent confrontations. Five students were killed in university dormitories, with one of their number thrown from his dormitory window on the fourth floor. Under directions from security powers, the university decided to shut down the university and its housing complex, only allowing exams and graduating projects to be held on campus. Since then, near daily protests have swept Aleppo -- the governorate which the regime believed, along with the capital Damascus, was the most loyal to the government and unlikely to join the revolution.

 Here's some sweet young girls from a family that was very dear to us, from one of the towns which has felt the most protests and attacks.  I hope they are ok! (ps, do you see me in the picture?)

 And finally my dad on a visit to us in Syria, with some young men in another town that has had a lot of hard hits....are these men still around and ok?

We pray often for Syria, Lord help this people and this country!