Baptist ministries in Lebanon that receive Texas Baptist Hunger Offering funds are offering aid to displaced civilians caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hezbollah.
“For several years now, citizens of Lebanon have endured one crisis after the next, but this past week has been particularly challenging,” a Sept. 23 email newsletter from the Thimar-LSESD ministries stated.
The Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development rebranded last year as Thimar-LSESD, selecting the name because “Thimar” is the Arabic word for “fruits.”
“A series of attacks have now left thousands injured, hundreds dead, and a troubled nation on the edge of total collapse. As fighting continues with Hezbollah launching projectiles into Israel, we wait to see what the coming hours will bring.”
In fact, the day the email was distributed was the deadliest day in Lebanon in nearly 20 years, as Israeli strikes killed about 500 people.
Prior to the military strikes, Israel issued warnings, urging civilians to evacuate residential areas where it asserted Hezbollah is storing weapons and munition.
“As the messages arrived, parents rushed to pick up their children from school just as classes for the new school year got underway,” the email newsletter stated.
School prepares to house displaced people
Beirut Baptist School—located in a largely non-Christian area—“began preparing its campus to host people displaced by fighting, just as it did during the last full-scale war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006,” the email reported.
While requesting prayer from supporters of its ministry, Thimar-LSESD reported it is prepared to respond to needs.
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“At our offices on the outskirts of Beirut, we have food boxes ready to distribute to people displaced by fighting,” the email newsletter stated.
“Meanwhile, our aid and development ministry, Middle East Revive and Thrive, has been providing humanitarian support to people affected by the conflict for nearly a year. In addition, we have set up a Lebanon Emergency Fund to meet additional needs as they arise.”
The Texas Baptist Hunger Offering provides funds that help enable Thimar-LSESD to provide food assistance to at-risk families, along with feminine hygiene products and heating fuel for the winter. The offering also enables Middle East Revive and Thrive to supply hygiene kits that churches distribute to refugees and other displaced people.
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