(August 13, 2020)—In response to the massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, last week, Covenant World Relief & Development partners are working to address urgent needs in the area.
Medical Teams International Lebanon staff have been dispatched to Beirut to provide emergency medical care and supplies to some of the thousands who were injured in the blast. MTI Lebanon has been a Covenant World Relief & Development partner for five years, providing care to Syrian refugees in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon.
“What is emerging from the rubble is unrecognizable; the grief and sense of utter hopelessness is palpable everywhere,” Martha Newsome, president and CEO of MTI, posted on their website. “Medical Teams is providing urgent relief as medical supplies and assistance are a top priority with thousands injured and hospitals completely overwhelmed.”
A second partner, Arab Baptist Theological Seminary, located just east of Beirut, has opened their dorms to provide shelter, meals, and support for families who have lost their homes. They are also working with other professionals to provide medical support and trauma counseling.
On their Facebook page, the seminary posted comments from a Palestinian student who was living in the dorm when families who had been displaced arrived on campus. “After spending so much time in Lebanon, I feel that Lebanon is my second home, and I grieve for it. I ask you to pray with me that the Lord uses the Church to bring change and revival to this country.”
The Serve Globally MENA team has been in direct contact with all Lebanon partners. “We are thankful for the rapid response of CWR,” said Jeff Anderson, regional coordinator for MENA.
Grants from Covenant World Relief & Development are made possible by generous donations to the disaster relief fund. To give, click here and choose “Lebanon” in the “please choose your designation” box. For donations by check, please send to Covenant World Relief 8303 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631, and include a designation “For Lebanon relief.”
