Lebanon
Lebanon is suffering silently, this beautiful land that has been weakened to become the object of covetousness and exploitation by many and subject to those who use power at the expense of the Lebanese people.
The terrible conflict in the Holy Land between Israel and various Islamic authorities has caused a theatre of confrontations that has spilled over into Lebanon.
Since 23 September 2024, southern Lebanon, Beirut southern suburb and the Bekaa Valley have been under constant bombardment. Hospitals have been bombed, religious and archaeological buildings have been destroyed, and rescue workers and civilians have been killed and injured, making the toll catastrophic. On Thursday 10 October, the Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that the total number of casualties since the first attack on 23 September was 2,141 deaths and 10,099 injuries. Until now, 1,000 shelters have been opened to receive displaced people, of which 807 have reached their maximum capacity. A total of 185,400 displaced have been registered in these shelters.
Hundreds of thousands of families have been forced to leave their homes, sometimes without even having time to put on their shoes.
One head of household from the village of Rachaya al-Fakhar told us: ‘We have been living this war for a year, but these days the volume and intensity of the shelling has increased insanely. We have resisted fear until now, but this time it overcame us, so I accompanied my wife and children to Beirut for their safety. I’ll going back despite everything, I can’t imagine my life without my land.’
SOS Chrétiens d’Orient seeks to meet their basic needs by providing food parcels, stipends and household items to shelters. The Our Lady of Deliverance Jesuit Monastery in Bikfaya, for example, opened its doors to four families coming from the south of the country, but it is not adequately equipped to receive them properly and lacks many furniture.
With peace unable to be restored, SOS Chrétiens d’Orient has no choice but to generously donate food parcels and furniture. The Lebanese in this situation can only counte on us and your generosity. If we don’t help them, no one else will.
Help us here to help them there as soon as possible.
In November 2023, the organization SOS Chrétiens d’Orient came to our border village in southern Lebanon. Today I am very touched to see you again a year later, which means that you have not forgotten us. On behalf of my entire parish, I bless you and ask you to pray for us.
