Because the war in Syria deprived so many families of their livelihoods, MERATH has been supporting sustainable agriculture projects in Syria since 2016, that have helped over 900 families of farmers to get back to their fields, cultivate their land, increase their yield, meet their own food needs and plan for the future.
“The harvest I’m reaping now is the reward of eight years of cultivation and nurturing.” This is the statement of a dedicated educator who went the extra mile believing in the transformative power of grace and compassion.
After four years of crisis and unrest in Lebanon, many locals and refugees remain on the fringes of society receiving limited medical care as medications sold in USD are becoming inaccessible. Churches have mobilized reach out teams over the years to support local churches as they seek to serve their communities.
God knows it has gotten dark in Syria and Lebanon recently. And only God knows if it will still get darker, to what degree, and for how long. But one thing is sure: it will never get as dark as the day God’s only begotten Son died on the cross on our behalf.
My name is Sahar. I am the program coordinator and case manager of a project that supports and empowers women at my church here in Syria. As a project that advocates against gender-based violence, our main goal is to raise awareness among women concerning their rights and the several types of gender-based violence, as well as reintegrating the women suffering from gender-based violence into the social tapestry by providing psychological support.
All through the month of February, multiple earthquakes and aftershocks hit Turkey and Syria, killing, injuring, and displacing tens of thousands of people in the middle of a winter storm.
As we are nearing the end of 2022, Lebanon’s economy continues declining steadily with no hope of stability in sight for many Lebanese households. Many families with different challenges have been struggling to survive and make ends meet in their country for the third year in a row. Hundreds of Lebanese families, including members of churches, have been going through a rough and deteriorated financial situation. Yet amid these hard times, the Lord remains faithful to His people, the Church.
In this spirit of unity, 20 different churches and ministry institutions from the Beqaa Valley gathered in July to learn, exchange, and evaluate best practices for sustainable development.
Lebanon has been enduring a severe and prolonged economic depression, and it is hard to imagine that the situation could still get worse. Yet it does, every single day, and an even bigger storm is coming.