Lebanon (MNN) — Syrian refugee children lose valuable years of education as their families flee war-torn areas, looking for stability. It’s often too late for these children to catch up, says Anne Hamming with Tent Schools International.
That’s why the Tent Schools partner in Lebanon takes a different approach. Hamming says, “Once they get past, say, the sixth grade or so, many of them never return to school. And instead of fighting that, instead of trying to fill these impossible gaps, he accepts that. His school tries to still give them an avenue to access employment. And he does that through languages.”
This partner has learned that if his students know just 500-1000 words in Lebanon’s most-spoken languages, they can get several different jobs. By learning English and French, for example, they will be able to work in tourism or retail.
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Pray the love of Jesus will shine through this school. Syrian refugees still face an unsettled situation in Lebanon as well. Hamming says, “Lebanon seems to be a land where the bigger nations around them like to carry out their squabbles, which creates great instability there. So pray for peace and stability and strength for the nation of Lebanon and the neighboring nation of Jordan.”
Lebanon and Jordan are not wealthy countries. But they bear the heaviest strain of caring for Syrian refugees. Hamming says, “Our support for them is critical for helping them meet the need. I think people need to appreciate how far U.S. support goes. Dollars go very far in Jordan and Lebanon. It’s the currency of choice compared to their home currencies, which are under distress and devaluation.”
Want to help? Click here to learn more about Tent Schools and donate. Hamming says, “Your support for Tent Schools goes directly to very tangible support like teacher salaries, fuel, food for students, and textbooks.
Photo courtesy of Tent Schools International on Facebook.
