At 3am on a Monday morning, Amir awoke to the sound of explosions.  

Airstrikes had started close to his neighbourhood, and he had to evacuate with his wife, three sons, and mother. There was no time to pack any food, clothes or supplies; they had to get to safety straight away. 

Travelling from southern Lebanon, it took him an entire day to reach Beirut (this journey is usually a short drive) and find shelter in a public school.  

‘Our journey was very difficult,’ Amir said. ‘When you have a wife and children, situations like these are way scarier.’  

‘I cannot explain in words how difficult it is to leave everything you hold dear behind without knowing if, and when, you will be able to go back.’

One in Five People Displaced 

Since conflict escalated in the Middle East on 28 February, airstrikes and widespread evacuations have displaced around 1.2 million people across Lebanon—roughly one in five of its population. 

Many families are sheltering in crowded collective sites, where there are concerns that living conditions are rapidly deteriorating amidst limited access to sanitation facilities and clean water.  

Those who missed out—and who don’t have family or friends to stay with—are sleeping outside in the cold, unprotected from the elements.  

And others are forced to constantly move between temporary accommodation.  

‘The risk of a much larger displacement crisis is real and growing,’ said Amy Pope, Director General of the UN International Organisation for Migration.  

‘Without urgent support, critical assistance will fall short at a moment when families have already lost so much. The international community must act now to prevent this crisis from deepening further.’ 

Helping Families Regain Strength 

Through the faithfulness and solidarity of supporters like you, our Christian Partner in Lebanon has been able to work through local churches to provide essentials such as: 

  • Mattresses and bedding, so families can rest and regain their strength. They also provided 30 beds, made by trainees in our Partner’s carpentry workshop, for elderly people who can’t sleep on the floor
  • Meals and food parcels with essentials such as rice, oil, canned goods and sugar, so families don’t go hungry while displaced

As well as helping people staying at collective sites, our Partner has also been distributing aid to families in mountainous areas outside recognised displacement centres, who were at risk of being neglected. 

‘In all this mess, people try to adapt as much as they can, and the help we provide brings them some joy and relief,’ said Carol, a member of a church working with our Partner.

‘We have it on our heart to help these people, because Christ told us the greatest commandment is to “love one another”.’ 

How You Can Pray 

Thankfully, our Partner was able to provide Amir and his family with essentials to help them stay at the shelter with dignity.  

‘We thank God for the team helping us,’ he said. ‘We received today mattresses, blankets, feminine pads, and adult diapers for my mother. We truly are deeply grateful.’ 

We’ve been so encouraged by the response we’ve received by supporters since we put out an Appeal to help our brothers and sisters in Lebanon. Please pray for: 

  • Our Partner staff team—staff members who work with our Partner in Lebanon are displaced or hosting displaced families. Pray that God would protect them, and their families, during this crisis. 
  • Families that are displaced—pray that they would be able to endure this trial, meet their needs, and stay safe and healthy while living in such a precarious situation. 
  • Children in impacted areas—the escalation of violence in Lebanon has left children particularly vulnerable. Pray for their safety and continued learning, as our Partner’s learning centre is closed and shifting to online sessions. 

Our Partners are continuing to address the escalating needs of families displaced in Lebanon. If you would like to support their efforts, you can give to our Lebanon Crisis Response