The war in Lebanon has made life harder for Hayat and many of the other 176,000 migrant workers estimated to be in the country. But her hardships, like those of other migrant women, began long before conflict flared up between Hezbollah and Israel.
A new leadership has taken power in Syria. But while many Syrians are glad to see the Assad regime gone, they worry about Syria’s next chapter.
Thimar is bringing joy and rest to war-affected communities in Lebanon this holiday season, hosting Christmas events for over 4,600 children and offering retreats to refresh and equip church leaders.
Ministry is relational. That is why it can be messy. We are imperfect, and so are those we serve. In this truth is the meaning of Christmas.
Last week, the Syrian civil war reignited as armed groups opposed to the Syrian government launched a surprise offensive. Facing little resistance, they made massive gains. For the first time in years, the Assad government’s survival is at stake.
Many in Lebanon are enduring sleepless nights, their peace shattered by the relentless roar of Israeli jets and the deafening explosions raining down on Dahiyeh, Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Beqaa, and across South Lebanon. The skies are ablaze as displaced people flood the streets, schools are once again closed, and live images testify to the devastation. What once seemed confined to South Lebanon has now reached Beirut and many parts of the Beqaa.
Throughout the past 50 years, Pastor Maroun has been forced to leave his home in southern Lebanon seven times. The war between Hezbollah and Israel forced him to flee again.
Seventeen families crowded the small school in a village just outside Beirut, their few belongings placed against classroom walls and crammed into corners alongside mattresses. The exhaustion on their faces and black bags under their eyes spoke to the harrowing ordeals each one of them had been through in recent days.
For almost a year, we’ve been asking if there will be a full-scale war in Lebanon. Today, it seems we have gotten much closer to one.