Lebanon (MNN) — Families skip meals and go without daily essentials as Lebanon’s fuel crisis causes food prices to skyrocket – again. Food prices are up by 628-percent since 2019.
“People are barely making it. A lot of people have enough to get their bread [and] cheese, but that gives them no wiggle room. Right now, you see a lot of people able to get the basics, but nothing more,” says a Gospel worker we’ll call Alesha*.
The food and fuel crises are two of many plaguing Lebanon today: economic and financial meltdowns, political deadlock, and last year’s massive port explosions in the capital, Beirut. See our full Lebanon coverage here.
Alesha just moved to Beirut with her family to serve alongside the prayer ministry Cry Out Now. “Everyone, unfortunately, seems very hopeless and very pessimistic about the current situation,” she says.
“[There] is a lot of hopelessness and despair, and [people are] expecting it to only get worse.”
As believers, Alesha and her husband want to demonstrate Christ’s love through practical means and prayer. First, they have to gain Lebanese trust. “[People] are very shocked, and because we are American entering into a very chaotic situation, they’re very suspicious,” Alesha says.
“It doesn’t make sense [for Americans to come to Lebanon] because any Lebanese with any sort of means is leaving. There are people leaving by the floods.”
Pray these Gospel workers will have patience as they form new relationships and friendships. Pray God will use them mightily in Lebanon.
“The joy of the Lord is our strength. But it’s easy to get clouded by the current circumstances around you,” Alesha says.
*Name withheld for security purposes.
In the header image, people wait in line for hours to fuel their cars. (Photo courtesy of Cry Out Now)
