LEBANON: Sister staying with the faithful despite bombardment

• ACN has continued to provide food and medicine to S. Lebanon

A religious Sister has remained in war-torn southern Lebanon to minister to thousands of Christians still in the region – despite ongoing airstrikes – many of whom have also received help from a leading Catholic charity.

Sister Maya El Beaino of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary decided to stay with the Christian community in Aid Ebel, 3 miles [5 km] from the Israeli border despite the “constant danger”.

Speaking to Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Sister El Beaino – who is the only member of her congregation remaining in the convent – said: “There are still some 9,000 Christians here in three different villages.”

She added: “There is no hospital in the area, no Red Cross, and we have only three hours of electricity a day. That means: no internet, no water.”

Over the past months, ACN has provided food parcels to thousands of families and medical help to 1,200 people who have stayed in southern Lebanon despite the dangers.

In June intensified airstrikes in the region killed 37 people and wounded up to 3,000.

Sister El Beaino said that there are two other religious communities in the nearby village of Rmaich, and their presence is a comfort for local Christians.

She added: “Everyone talks about the people who have fled because of the attacks, but no one speaks about the many Christians who have stayed, because they are afraid of losing their homes for ever.

“It’s true that many left the region at the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023, but many families have come back to their homes, because life in Beirut was too expensive and many could not bear the separation from the Fathers who had remained alone back in the south.”

Sister El Beaino explained that the only Catholic school in the region – ran by her congregation for children from 32 surrounding villages – has moved to online teaching because of the armed conflict.

She added: “The situation is simply terrible. People are still carrying trauma from the war in 2006 and there is a big fear that bridges and roads will be bombed again – especially now that a ground invasion is being spoken about.”

Regina Lynch, ACN (International) executive president has called for prayers for the people of southern Lebanon – including the victims of the war and those who have been displaced – and for an end to the violence.

With thanks to Sina Hartert