LEBANON: Christians needing help amid continued suffering
Lebanon is still suffering from the effects of the war with growing poverty, lack of food and mass displacement.
Marielle Boutros, project coordinator in Lebanon for Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), said: “The war was hell for us. Every Christian here has thought about leaving the country.”
UN reports stated that one in four people in Lebanon – more than a million – were displaced last October as a result of the bombardment.
Ms Boutros said that “many people are still struggling… and the situation is anything but simple – often there is no longer enough money at the end of the month for food.”
Thirty percent of Lebanon’s population is facing food insecurity, according to the UN.
Ms Boutros added: “Many people have lost their jobs, and in the south the fields – including those of many Christians – have suffered lasting destruction through phosphorus bombs.
“ACN emergency relief projects will therefore continue to be of crucial for months after the ceasefire.
“For example, support for Catholic schools is essential because many families cannot afford to pay tuition fees for their children and money is also lacking for teachers’ salaries.”
She explained that many houses were destroyed, including in the Beqaa Valley, where there is an urgent need for more ACN relief projects to help displaced people return home.
Aid provided by the charity has included food parcels and medical help for thousands of families, as well as ongoing assistance with tuition fees – because most schools in Lebanon are private – and support for pastoral programmes.
Ms Boutros added that airstrikes still happen sporadically in southern Lebanon, causing continued uncertainty.
Other ACN contacts in Lebanon said that “the border villages in the south are still in a state of unrest.
“Peace has not yet been restored there, and there are still sporadic airstrikes.”
Ms Boutros said that there are signs that “hope returned to Lebanon” after the parliament elected Joseph Aoun as the new president last month.
She added that the Lebanese people are waiting to see what happens after 26th January – the deadline President Aoun has given for Israel to withdraw its army from southern Lebanon.
She concluded: “A lot hangs on this date. Until then, no-one will begin to rebuild or repair their home.
“Nobody is going to build something which could be destroyed again.
“Let’s keep hoping and praying that peace returns to our country.”
With thanks to Sina Hartert