Lebanon

God’s Word for Refugees

Overview

Working with humanitarian aid agencies, Bible Society Lebanon is offering hope to refugee children through an interactive drama presentation about reconciliation and orgiveness, based on Bible stories. The presentation — called “Reconcile!” — is accompanied by the distribution of literature which paraphrases Bible stories about reconciliation.

The Need

Lebanon is hosting over 1.5 million registered Syrian refugees, along with Palestinian refugees. Hundreds of aid and humanitarian agencies are struggling to keep up with the refugees’ basic needs. Entire generations are being born and brought up in confined camp facilities with very low hygiene and an absence of social and educational platforms. Children are being brought up amid hate, despair and vengeance. No one is focusing on this negative atmosphere or on helping children to overcome their trauma.

Bible Society has been approached by several humanitarian agencies to provide assistance in entertaining children in the camps, using hopeful and positive strategies as well as appropriate trauma healing techniques. The Bible, the book of hope, will be the source of these presentations in the camps.

1.5m

Syrian refugees (along with 210,000 Palestinian refugees) are taking refuge in Lebanon.

±49% of Syrian refugee families suffer from food insecurity.

60% of Syrian refugee families live in overcrowded, endangered, or substandard housing.

Goals

The goal of this project is to create a positive atmosphere of reconciliation among refugee children based on the creative presentation of Bible Stories. In addition to this, Bible literature on reconciliation and forgiveness will be distributed in parallel with the performances.

Impact

The program also distributes the Arabic Peace and Justice Bible to refugee camp leaders and family heads. The objective is to lessen the negative atmosphere that refugee children and families are currently experiencing, helping them overcome their trauma.

At the start of 2023, the team will spend January preparing the presentation and printing portions of Scripture to share. Throughout the remainder of 2023, they will visit camps and present their programs — sharing portions of the Bible with 100 children at each visit.

Testimonies

This project aims to impact 16,000 people. This will include 15,000 children who will be ‘entertained’ with the creative program on reconciliation and forgiveness, as well as receive Scripture portions with Bible stories on the same topic. In addition, 1,000 camp leaders and heads of families will receive copies of the Arabic Peace & Justice Bible. So far, the project has impacts 4,980 people. It is hoped that this outreach will result in a more positive atmosphere and further ‘entertainment’ opportunities in the camps, and in changed behaviour among the children. Furthermore, it is hoped that the camp leaders and heads of families would come to understand the Christian and biblical values of peace and social justice.

Prayer Needs

“No matter how bad conditions we face, and we feel that we are alone in the forest, and problems overcome us, we must believe that God is with us, and we are not alone and we will overcome difficulties.” - Sham, 10 years old

“I learned from the program that God takes care of us and does not leave us and always searches for us because God is love.” - Roy, 8 years old

“I learned that a person can be disgusting like a worm, but God’s love turns us into a beautiful butterfly.” - Matthew, 9 years old, after participating in a juggling game about a worm that turns into a butterfly

“I learned not to allow bad behaviour to constrain me, and I ask God to help me overcome it and be free from it to serve God freely.” - Hussein, 11 years old, participated in the game of lightness (handcuffs)

• Pray for the children growing up in the unacceptable conditions of these camps.

• Pray for the leaders, that they would facilitate this program and willingly receive the Arabic Peace & Justice Bible.

• Pray that Bible Society’s program will help heal the children’s wounds of trauma.