Christian leaders and welfare groups are calling for renewed prayer from believers all over the world because the conflict within the Middle East continues to escalate, trapping civilians in southern Lebanon between the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and militant groups like Hezbollah.
“The eyes of the world are on the war in Gaza, but something that the media rarely reports is the undeniable fact that this has resulted in an armed conflict going down in southern Lebanon,” said Marielle Boutros, Project Coordinator of the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in Lebanon.
“As with the people in Gaza, this isn’t the primary war which the people in southern Lebanon have needed to experience. They cannot address the noise of the rockets anymore and are traumatised. They really want our prayers.”
Not only do civilians living near the border with Israel face the danger of every day rocket strikes, they find themselves struggling to make ends meet amongst the wreckage left behind. According to data gathered by ACN, many were already living in extreme poverty as a result of the continued financial crisis which began in 2019. They at the moment are coping with the continuing impact of the conflict, and are unable to relocate to safer regions.
Maronite Catholic Archeparch Charbel Abdallah of Tyre, one in every of the oldest archdioceses on the earth, told ACN that the vast majority of those that had originally fled to Beirut or parts of Lebanon further to the north searching for safety had found themselves forced to return or running out of cash, while others struggled to seek out accommodation or were put up by relatives who were themselves lacking the capability to take them in.
In the ten parishes near the Israeli border that make up the majority of the Maronite Archdiocese of Tyre, 70 per cent of believers have now returned. However, Archeparch Abdallah said that the parishes of Alma el Chaeb and Quzah are “still nearly empty because they lie entirely within the areas of the air strikes” and “a big proportion of the homes there have been completely destroyed”.
Those believers who’ve returned find themselves living in a “state of war” and are unable to make a living from their villages and farms. Archeparch Abdallah said that it’s now inconceivable for farmers to herald a harvest, the one source of income for a lot of, as a result of their fields being in a conflict zone and the fires brought on by phosphorus bombs destroying cultivated fields and fruit trees.
“In the face of those many needs the state is totally absent,” Archeparch Abdallah said. “The persons are becoming poorer and poorer and may not live dignified lives.”
“Because of utmost inflation, the insurance cover of the social security fund for hospital stays, visits to the doctor or medicine are hardly present.”
Ms Boutros praised leaders and the charity’s project partners just like the Archeparch for his or her courage and faithfulness “within the face of the constant danger”.
“None of them–whether bishops, priests, religious brothers or nuns–have left the region,” she said.
“They feel accountable for staying with the people of their need and offering them support and luxury.”
Archeparch Abdallah continues to go to these parishes every Sunday, in addition to occasionally throughout the week, so as to meet with the faithful and to “see what needs they’ve and to assist them with our modest means”. He said that the visits “encourage the people enormously–they sense that they’ve not been left within the lurch by the Church”.
However, the Archeparch stressed that the local church simply doesn’t have the resources required to satisfy such pressing need, they usually need the assistance of their fellow believers all over the world.
“Every month, ACN provides food parcels to hundreds of needy families and thereby gives vital support,” he said. “Beyond this, lots of of sick people receive monthly help to purchase medicine.
“The charity has also equipped a health centre in one in every of our big parishes to support the local families.”
Thanking all those that have assisted, the Archeparch concluded with another vital request of Christians all over the world.
“Please pray for us, pray that this war within the Middle East ends as quickly as possible,” he said.Â
