Displacement of Over 1 Million Lebanese Prompts Greater Concern, Action
More than 1 million people – a quarter of Lebanon’s population – are displaced after three weeks of bitter fighting, prompting greater concern and action from Christian groups.
Lebanese civilians from the south are dispersed on sidewalks, parks, schools, monasteries, and churches waiting for the end of the largest offense against Lebanon in 24 years.
“In Lebanon, many families were forced to leave their areas to escape the bombing that destroyed their homes. Beirut and Mount Lebanon areas have around 400,000 refugees from the south and southern suburb of Beirut. The North and Becca have around 250,000, and the numbers are still growing as the war continues,” reported a Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) staff member in Lebanon recently according to an email by the group on Wednesday.
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“The conditions are very bad and the majority of them escaped with just the clothes they had on, walking for hours to reach Beirut after all the roads and connecting bridges were destroyed.”
CCC has responded by going to the schools and centers sheltering displaced people to minister and care for them. Basic needs were also provided for more than 1,500 people, although the staff acknowledged the need is “much more.”
Furthermore, the international campus ministry is calling for help in providing at least 30,000 Bags of Blessing to feed families of five for a week. The bags will include non-perishable food items such as beans, rice, pasta, canned meat, processed cheese, oil, and powdered milk. In addition, each bag will contain basic supplies such as soap, candles, matches and aspirin.
In Sidon, Lebanon and in Akko, Israel, Operation Blessing International is working to deliver food packages and other needed items. In Sidon, OBI is distributing emergency aid packages filled with nonperishable food, hygiene products, diapers and other emergency aid to thousands of refugees in the towns of Bramieh, Aabra and Salhieh reported the group on Tuesday.
Partnering with “Tents of Mercy” and the Hiram Foundation, OBI has fund the delivery of 3,000 food packages as well as cooling fans and mattresses for refugee families living in crowded shelters in Akko. OBI relief partners also delivered 1,000 hot meals to a local soup kitchen in the city.
Action by Churches Together members – including Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Lutheran World Relief, and Norwegian Church Aid along with Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, World Relief, and World Vision – are some of the other Christian agencies helping displaced victims of the conflict.
For more information on CCC’s Bags of Blessing: give2.ccci.org
