Lebanon (MNN) — It’s no secret that economic inflation has devastated so many aspects of Lebanese society. According to Camille Melki of Heart For Lebanon, “The value of our national currency deteriorated to 1.5%.”
One area of society that has seen a significant impact may not be the most obvious – children’s education. The economic downfall “makes it very hard for parents to secure education for their children, and for schools to continue to operate under a lot of economic restraints.”
Put more plainly, most children have two options: public schools, which haven’t reopened thanks to a lack of government funding, or private schools, which have seen tuition skyrocket. “Parents are left at a total loss. What do they do? Here’s a third consecutive year that their students their children might miss studying in a good academic program.”
That’s why Heart For Lebanon is offering solutions. They have three avenues for helping kids get the education they need. Informal education programs can help kids catch up on their academics with in-person classes and tutoring when they can’t get into schools. Supplemental tutoring helps kids who are in schools catch up on classes they find especially challenging. And for kids who can’t afford to make it to school on their own, Heart for Lebanon can provide scholarships to private schools. Hopefully “that small financial aid will give them that opportunity to study in a Christian school and be exposed to the Gospel.
In short, “Heart For Lebanon provides education one way or the other.
“Heart For Lebanon comes alongside those students and their families in order to strengthen their academic education,” Melki says. “But more important is to continue a relationship of trust.”
That’s what matters. Heart For Lebanon is teaching kids about more than just math and science. These children are facing indoctrination into anger and hatred on all sides. “These are children have grown in anger and frustration.” But when they connect with Heart For Lebanon and “enter our academic programs, they experience a whole new approach to education, because you’re not only teaching a classroom lesson, but our teachers are showing love.”
And of course, the core of any Heart For Lebanon lesson is the Gospel. “Not only are we teaching them, they’re teaching us as well. They’re teaching us how to care, love, trust the Lord, and call Jesus as our personal Savior.”
Do you want to come alongside Heart For Lebanon in their mission? You can support them financially with this link. “With your prayers, your encouragement, and your financial support, you are making a difference for eternity.”
After all, only Jesus can offer true Hope. “[These children] live in despair; that family lives in despair. We want to point them out to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Lord of hope, hope for eternity.”
Header photo courtesy of Heart For Lebanon.
