Ministry Update:
Serving Victims of the August 4 Beirut Explosion
“We first met Fadia while fixing her broken windows and door. We got to know her over several visits while drinking coffee and talking about life, Lebanon, and God. We had the privilege of getting her a new water dispenser and paid for a plumber to get her water pump up and running again. Since then, our home visits team has been visiting her once a week to get to know her and her sister better, develop a relationship, and share with them more about Christ and His healing hand.”
This story, shared by one of our MRel students serving in Beirut, is one of many we’ve heard and been part of in the aftermath of the August 4 blast. Since we opened our guesthouse and dormitories, we have been able to shelter and care for 82 individuals during their stay and support them as most transitioned to more permanent housing off-campus. We are currently hosting 15 individuals impacted by the blast and 6 medical workers. In addition to that, we partnered with four churches and a Christian organization so together we can serve the people of Beirut — people like Fadia —more effectively. Through them, we have been able to help and pray for over a hundred families in different areas with various needs around the explosion zone.
Joe, an ABTS student serving with one of our partner churches, shared another story with us recently. “We met Samir through a mutual acquaintance. Samir’s home was completely ruined, but fortunately, he and his family weren’t home at the time of the blast. Samir is a very humble and grateful person. He shared that his opinion of Evangelical churches changed because of our interaction with him. His words mirrored a sentiment that was shared by many of the people we worked to support. This is promising for us, as I feel that we were able to plant a seed and build a bridge with these people. It is amazing how the Lord uses the darkest moments in our lives to reach out to those around us.”
Through another church, we have been able to help 75 children with a back to school project for those impacted by the Beirut Blast. “One of the schoolgirls felt ashamed when her teacher asked her to open her Arabic book via an online session,” shared our partner. Her mother had not been able to buy all her books for the school year. “When the project started, the mother was very thankful that she was able to buy all her daughter’s books so that she could continue learning without feeling ashamed. This woman thanked God a lot for the blessing she got through the church.”
We thank the Lord for allowing us and many Lebanese churches and Christian Organizations to serve the people of Beirut regardless of their belonging during this time of chaos and confusion. We pray that the Lord continues to use His Church to serve the Arab world.
This story, shared by one of our MRel students serving in Beirut, is one of many we’ve heard and been part of in the aftermath of the August 4 blast. Since we opened our guesthouse and dormitories, we have been able to shelter and care for 82 individuals during their stay and support them as most transitioned to more permanent housing off-campus. We are currently hosting 15 individuals impacted by the blast and 6 medical workers. In addition to that, we partnered with four churches and a Christian organization so together we can serve the people of Beirut — people like Fadia —more effectively. Through them, we have been able to help and pray for over a hundred families in different areas with various needs around the explosion zone.
Joe, an ABTS student serving with one of our partner churches, shared another story with us recently. “We met Samir through a mutual acquaintance. Samir’s home was completely ruined, but fortunately, he and his family weren’t home at the time of the blast. Samir is a very humble and grateful person. He shared that his opinion of Evangelical churches changed because of our interaction with him. His words mirrored a sentiment that was shared by many of the people we worked to support. This is promising for us, as I feel that we were able to plant a seed and build a bridge with these people. It is amazing how the Lord uses the darkest moments in our lives to reach out to those around us.”
Through another church, we have been able to help 75 children with a back to school project for those impacted by the Beirut Blast. “One of the schoolgirls felt ashamed when her teacher asked her to open her Arabic book via an online session,” shared our partner. Her mother had not been able to buy all her books for the school year. “When the project started, the mother was very thankful that she was able to buy all her daughter’s books so that she could continue learning without feeling ashamed. This woman thanked God a lot for the blessing she got through the church.”
We thank the Lord for allowing us and many Lebanese churches and Christian Organizations to serve the people of Beirut regardless of their belonging during this time of chaos and confusion. We pray that the Lord continues to use His Church to serve the Arab world.
