Articles
Refugees and the Revolution
In this time of great uncertainty in Lebanon, we at TM are trying to continue to be a steady presence in the lives of refugee families living here. There are many practical obstacles facing us at the minute. Frequent roadblocks make transport more difficult. Worries from rumors of intimidation make parents wary to send their kids to school.
However, the work we are involved with is all the more important in a time such as this. Several weeks ago, I had a conversation with a few teachers at the school in the Bekaa, who mentioned that they and another families had been hearing messages of intimidation on social media. The one they pointed me to was seemingly a threat to kill any Syrians who came near the protests. Other families have told me that they are afraid that the anger and frustration might spill over against them and, specifically, that they are worried their tents might be set on fire in the night while they sleep.
It is hard for us to know whether these threats were genuine or not, but the fears they point to are very real. In Syria, the civil war was sparked by anti-government protests, and, due in part to their previous experiences, many refugees fear a repeat of that here. They also recognize that they are in an incredibly vulnerable position here in Lebanon, with limited physical and almost no political protection, should the situation shift. The fear and stress this brings to families and even to the children themselves, who often overhear conversations like those above, is obvious.
As followers of Jesus, we know that we are constantly cared for and protected by Him – looked after and held in God’s hands, no matter our external circumstances. We desperately want to share this peace – this deep assurance of His love and safety – with those around us. We long for this ministry to continue to be a tangible expression of an unseen reality, showing the vulnerable in some small way that God is here, sees each one and is more than able to hold them in His care, His love and His peace. And we dream and pray that those we reach out to in this way would come to know Him for themselves.
–Jo (a teacher at our center in Zahle)
