Lebanon (MNN)–Anti-government demonstrations in Beirut enter their fourth week, with a concerted effort toward resolving the crisis.
Boiled down, Lebanon’s complex political crisis began after Prime Minister Fuad Saniora rejected a demand for a national unity government. Hezbollah wants Cabinet veto power for itself and its allies.
In response to the denial, six Hezbollah supporters/ministers resigned from the Cabinet sparking demonstrations in downtown Beirut since Dec. 1 to try to pressure the prime minister into quitting.
The people are wading through the Advent season with a growing sense of impending civil war. Words of Hope’s Lee DeYoung says they’re countering with the message of hope. “There continues to be operation of Words of Hope’s Arabic ministry inside of Lebanon. Thus far, there has been no direct impact from recent events, including the assassination, and now the demonstrations.”
DeYoung says despite the unrest and bombings, their staff has been unharmed. Overall, the Christian community stepped forward and reached out to the Muslims during the crisis. “We can hope that those seeds planted will bear fruit in the future. Meanwhile, broadcast operations and ministry continue inside of Lebanon even amidst the current pressures and activities, which certainly do raise some concerns about what may take place in the future.”
Words of Hope broadcasts Christian radio in Arabic and Farsi throughout the Middle East. DeYoung sums his vision up this way: “We think that the interest in radio programs and other forms of outreach, although these are times of great pressure, there is great risk, but also there is a growing hunger.”
