Today, the Bible study for Iraqi refugee women resumed after
the summer break. We began by asking the
women what blessings came into their lives over the summer and what they would
like us to pray for. Among the refugee
community, the news which receives the most congratulations and applause is
when someone finally gets the visa to the U.S. or Australia that they have been
waiting for now for years. Lebanon is
not a nice place for refugees who are given no aid or protection by the state
and can be arrested at any time because Lebanese law considers their status to
be illegal. Also, refugees can never get
Lebanese citizenship which makes this a place where people only come to wait
with the hope of getting a visa to a more welcoming place.
Though the list of 550 Iraqi families who receive food
packages at the Dispensary is still full, it has at least changed a lot over
the past year. Many families who had
been waiting in Lebanon for 2-3 years and more finally got their visas making
room for newer refugees to be put on the list.
The women’s prayer requests were to get their visas and to be reunited
with their families who are still living in Iraq. When I opened my eyes after we all said “Amen”
I looked around the room and many women were crying, remembering those they
have lost and been torn away from by this war.
At the Dispensary, we have not yet received Syrian refugees
but we are getting many Iraqi refugees who had fled to Syria and are now coming
to Lebanon to escape the war in Syria. Those
who have come to the Dispensary don’t have anything, usually only the clothes
they are wearing. We direct them to an
organization which we work closely with called “Heart for Lebanon” which has a
big room full of donated clothes and where they can register to receive food
packages. We were contacted by a
European organization that wants to pay the school fees for around 50 Syrian
refugee children living in the area so we have prepared a list of names. This will make all the difference in the
lives of these children. I can’t imagine
not being able to start school with all the other children because of a war
that I have nothing to do with and which is completely out of my control.
Currently, we are preparing some Christmas activities and
gifts for the refugees and for our Lebanese beneficiaries. Please keep praying for the reign of God’s
justice and peace on this earth and that for as long as it takes to reach that day,
we have eyes to seek and find His light in darkness.
