Lebanon (MNN) — Over 3,000 people cross Syria’s border into Lebanon every single day. Exactly one year ago, there were only 10,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Today, there are over 400,000 seeking safety in a country with a population of little more than four million. The masses of people are getting bottlenecked in Sidon, so the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees opened a new and bigger registration center in Tyre, southern Lebanon, on April 9.
At the same time, the United Nations is only days away from being forced to cut back basic aid programs because of a lack of funding. Health care, food aid, and housing programs are most at risk to one of the largest refugee communities in the region.
One Global Advance couple working in Lebanon is using the opportunity to be the hands and feet of God. The couple said most of these refugees do not come to Lebanon with anything more than the clothes on their backs. In a news release they said, “With such a great need comes great opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are in such a desperate situation.”
No matter what religious background the refugees are from, the couple has noticed that the refugees are open to hearing more about Jesus. Because of this, they have started to hold an outreach inside the camp.
The ministry model is simple: put vision in the hearts and tools in the hands of key indigenous leaders around the world so that they can reach their “world” and beyond.
This couple writes:
Syria surrounds Lebanon on its northern and eastern border causing the ongoing civil war in our largest neighboring country to greatly impact our nation. Besides disturbing our already sensitive political situation, Lebanon has been flooded with refugees from the war. Some days we see over 50,000 Syrians crossing the border in a single day, and according to authorities, the amount of refugees living in Lebanon has reached around 289,000.
Most of these refugees come with only the clothes on their backs and are living in very dire circumstances. With such a great need comes great opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are in such a desperate situation. We found that even though these refugees come from a different religious background, they are wanting to know more about Jesus. So, we decided to hold an outreach inside their camp…. We took a team of over 100 volunteers with food, clothes, medicine and Bibles. I was able to share about Jesus to over 500 adults, and when given the opportunity to receive Jesus, almost all in the room raised their hands.
Halleluiah! How amazing it is to see God use these circumstances to draw hearts to Him.
Please continue to pray for us as we continue to minister to these refugees. We have been serving them on a weekly basis for 8 months non-stop, regardless of bad weather. So far, we have been able to reach more than 500 families. Praise God for what He is doing!
Pray for this couple as they continue to minister to refugees. They are serving them on a weekly basis, no matter the weather. Pray for safety.
