Pour into Lebanon

BAPTISTS ASSIST Syrian Refugees

M

ore than 5,500 Syrian refugees who fl ed to Lebanon received assistance over the past several months from Baptists, coordinated by the Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development (LSESD) and the Rahbe Baptist Church. Syria has been hit by a series of protests

against the government and violent crack- down by military and security forces since January of this year. Several thousand protestors were reportedly killed. Almost US$100,000 was received

and spent to assist the refugees, with funding coming from Baptist World Aid, German Baptist Aid, Canadian Baptist Ministries, BMS World Mission (United Kingdom), the Union of Baptist Churches in the Netherlands, and American Baptist Churches USA. Baptists were the fi rst to offer aid to several families who said they had left Syria months earlier, though some refugees indicated they received aid from a Qatari NGO. LSESD helped to provide food, hygiene

kits, and medical supplies. “LSESD has decided to focus on a few issues that fi ll gaps being left by other organizations,” the Baptist group reported. “It is important to support those who are opening up their homes and using their already-scarce resources to help the refugees…. This will help decrease ‘host-fatigue’ and the need to move refugees to tented camps or communal living options.” In total 615 refugee families and 248 Lebanese families received assistance. There were no fi rm fi gures regarding

the number of refugees entering Lebanon, which complicated efforts to assist. “Over the course of the response, refugees have continued to arrive at any given time, while others have returned to Syria.” Many refugees live in tenuous situations.

Five families lived in an unfurnished dwelling; two other families lived in another house that was yet to be furnished. One house had 36 refugees as occupants, some of whom decided to return to Syria.

22 BAPTIST WORLD MAGAZINE

Several families lived in tents, with one of those families having three children with disabilities. Thirty two persons had been living inside a school for at least three months.

However, several Lebanese families

offered shelters within their homes. A number of displaced persons suffered

from anemia, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, high blood pressure and other ailments, and needed medical attention. Pregnant women were among those who traveled across the border into Lebanon. Some Syrian families tell of their ordeal.

A son was hospitalized in Lebanon after he was shot while protecting his mother and younger sister. One woman had not heard

SYRIAN BAPTISTS

news of her husband since he was jailed. Others heard that their houses were broken into or destroyed, and believed they had nothing to return to in Syria. Many refugees came from areas close

to the Lebanese border or in western Syria, such as Heet, Hama and Homs, scenes of some of the largest protests, as well as Tel Kelakh.

Affected by Uprising Baptists and other Christians in Syria

have been adversely affected by public demonstrations and violent government crackdowns in the Middle Eastern country since January of this year. Several thousand protestors were reportedly killed. “Many families, especially Christians,

have left cities like Homos for the rural areas. Others have chosen to emigrate,” the BWA was informed. There has been “fear and tension among the children, especially those who are in areas that have witnessed daily shooting.” Businesses owned by Christians “have

been impacted and this has affected the livelihood of people.” Baptists have remained engaged in the

midst of the turmoil. “The Baptist church in Syria is actively pursuing its mission, visiting families, sharing the message of the Gospel, distributing scripture, as

well as distributing relief packages and medications as needed,” the report, which came via Lebanon, said. Syrian Baptists have requested prayer

“that the Lord may bring peace and that He may preserve Syria from this trial that we’re currently going through” and that “a sense of responsibility may be awakened amongst believers that their lives may witness to the grace, peace and love that we have in Christ.” Believers ask that prayer be offered for

“ongoing meetings focused on resolving the issues in a nonviolent manner;” the strengthening of new believers; the provision for needs of the church and believers; protection; and for “ministries of compassion that are currently underway.” “We place our lives and families

in the Hands of God,” Syrian Baptists told the BWA.

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Syrian refugees receive food and humanitarian aid at the northern Lebanese village of Wadi Khaled, near the Lebanese- Syrian border. Thousands of people demonstrated across Syria calling for freedom in defi ance of a military crackdown that has killed hundreds, witnesses and activists said.

REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir courtesy www.alertnet.org