Amid conflict and injustice, we see God at work
By Ghinwa Akiki
August 5, 2025
Five years ago, in the bustle of a typical afternoon, one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions in history rocked Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, killing more than 220 people, injuring over 6,000 others, devastating entire neighborhoods, and leaving an entire nation traumatized.
Since then, while the world has kept turning, Lebanon — and our lives — feel frozen in time, stuck like the hands of a broken clock, stopped at 6:07 by the force of the blast.
For those of us who weren’t there, there’s a lingering sense of guilt for not having shared in the physical losses, yet we carry the same heartache for the people and the city.
Earlier this week in Beirut, hundreds of people gathered to commemorate the memory of that tragedy, the loss of loved ones, homes, and futures — losses for which justice and accountability remain elusive. The mourning continues, and this day feels heavy for all Lebanese, for once, rather than just for one part of the country.
People are crying out for justice and for their pain to be acknowledged. And five years on, justice has yet to be served. Yet in a recent statement, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, declared: “Justice knows no exceptions, and the law applies to everyone without distinction.” His words offer a glimpse of hope that the Port Explosion case has not been cast into the sea and forgotten.
But the blast was only part of a relentless chain of crises. Since 2019, Lebanon has faced an economic collapse, with the local currency losing over 98% of its value, and poverty affecting more than 44% of the population. Just as it felt like the country was beginning to stand back up, a war between Hezbollah and Israel erupted on October 8, 2023, displacing over a million people and plunging the country deeper into crisis.
Looking beyond our borders, the picture remains bleak. To the south, war continues to rage in Gaza. To the north, Syria is undergoing drastic changes following the fall of the Assad regime last December. Bloodshed surrounds us, and the entire Middle East remains gripped by uncertainty.
And yet, even as darkness looms, there is light: the light of the Gospel, which never ceases to breathe life into hearts that feel barren and dry.
Amid conflicts, we see God at work. At Thimar, we are just a small part of His greater mission in this region. In Lebanon, He has enabled us, along with others, to serve the weary and reach the unreached, both Christians and non-Christians. We are witnessing hearts turning to the only true hope in this world: Jesus Christ.
Beyond Lebanon, our partners in Syria are opening their church doors to welcome the needy and plant seeds of forgiveness and reconciliation in communities long torn by sectarian violence. Even as fear creeps into the hearts of Christians, especially after the horrific attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus on June 22, when emigration feels like the only way out, many are choosing to hold fast to God.
As our ministry efforts continue, we seek to point people to the living Word, to the unshakable hope of true justice that will one day be fulfilled when Jesus returns in glory to set all things right and bring an end to evil and injustice.