Feeding Lebanon's Needy

Lebanon has gone through a lot in the last year. The refugee crisis in the country has been somewhat forgotten with all the recent developments. Aid to the Church in Need has been working hard with the Church in Lebanon to help provide relief to the refugees in Lebanon.

By ACN Staff

A child at St. John the Merciful’s Table in Zahle. Lebanon. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)

The year 2020 was not a good year for Lebanon. At the start of the year the country was suffering from an economic and monetary crisis. Then COVID-19 hit, and like everywhere Lebanon’s economy and people suffered. Disaster struck in August when a large explosion occurred in Beirut’s port, rocking the Lebanese capital. Lebanon faced an unparalleled peace-time crisis. What was sometimes forgotten during this whole period was that Lebanon is home to the highest number of refugees per capita of any country in the world. Lebanon is home to nearly to one and a half million refugees. The majority of these refugees have fled conflict in neighbouring countries such as Syria.

The Rief family. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)

The Church has been very active in helping to care for the needy in Lebanon, including the refugees. This is particularly the case for the Greek Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Zahle. The diocese is located in the Beqaa Valley. This is in the east of Lebanon, close to the boarder with Syria. For this reason the Eparchy of Zahle has seen a large number of refugees arrive from Syria. Many of these refugees are Christians. Life was extremely hard for these refugees even before the economic crisis and the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has now become even more difficult. This is the case Rief family. The Christian family who fled from the war in Syria to Lebanon around three years ago. The family consists of a mother, father and their three children. Two of the children are now adults. The family were able to find occasional work to get by, but since the economic crisis and the COVID pandemic this work has dried up.

Thankful, the Rief family are not on their own. God is always with them, and the Church will not turn Her back on them. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has been working very closely with the Greek Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Zahle. Since 2019, ACN has provided €3.6 million worth of aid to the refugees in the Zahle area. One of the projects supported is the St John the Merciful’s Table. This was set up by the Melkite eparchy in December 2015. It provides a daily meal service and if named after St. John the Merciful, a 7th century Patriarch of Alexandria who was well known for his work with the poor.

St. John the Merciful’s Table. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)

Around 1,000 people are fed everyday by the Melkite eparchy through St John the Merciful’s Table. Most of these people are refugees, but also since the pandemic some Lebanese people have requested aid. Now most the people take their food away to eat because of the pandemic. St. John the Merciful’s Table also delivers food to around 200 people who are not able to leave their homes because of the pandemic. ACN is determined to continue helping the Church in Lebanon continue Her mission. ACN invites all of our supporters to keep all refugees in their prayers, and if you wish to help people in places like Lebanon to consider donating to ACN.