The suffering experienced by Ethiopians in Tigray, Amhara, and Afar weighs heavy on our minds. As we go about our normal lives here in the United States, it is too easy to forget the tens of thousands killed, injured, or displaced in the 10-month-long conflict. While we worry about what coffee to buy in the morning, Ethiopians caught in the conflict are waking up wondering if their village will be attacked and if they will survive. It is incomprehensible and heartbreaking.

Church is a place for people to mourn and reflect. In our churches, we have seen so much pain and worry since the conflict began. Many within our congregations have lost loved ones, and with no sign of the conflict ending, we fear many more will, too. As ever in war, civilians are the victims — never guilty of anything other than living in the wrong place at the wrong time.