Middle East (MNN) — Winter is coming to an end. For many refugees in the Middle East, it’s been a season of extra difficulties and worries about survival.
“Winter in general in the Middle East is very hard, cold, windy. [There are] many storms [and] heavy snow, especially in Lebanon,” Tent Schools International’s Rawan Haddad says.
Refugees must prepare themselves while they’re in the camps, she explains. However, some things are out of their control and they cannot provide for their families.
“[There’s] not enough heating, power, food, and water. This winter brings heavy rains and floods in the Jordan and Lebanon camps. The water enters the tents and damages everything. We heard last year about refugees freezing to death, especially the babies.”
Haddad says relief agencies are working to provide refugee families with shelter, food, and water, but the need is endless. Also, due to the cold and distance, winter forces many children to stop attending school.
“The school for the kids there are far away from where they live. They have to walk miles to arrive at their schools in the cold, rain, and snow, or they need to ride a private van to take them to school, and that costs their parents money.”
Since classrooms are poorly heated, kids stay cold and wet and can get sick. As a result, most children stay in their tents, trying to stay warm and healthy.
Tent Schools is setting up their schools inside refugee camps to provide refugee kids with education and a warm place to go during winter months.
“We at Tent Schools do our best to put schools close to their tents, bringing them safety, love, warmth, a meal, good school supplies, and the most important thing; compassionate Christian teachers.”
Tent Schools’ programs implement daily Bible studies with their students. In turn, they request prayers for their family members, friends, and their country.
Haddad says teachers often don’t know if children have given their hearts to Jesus or not. On their papers, “they can’t change their religion because it’s really [a] danger for them to do that.”
If children have become Christians, they often have to keep it a secret. However, even if children remain Muslims at heart, Tent Schools’ teachers are helping them learn how to love and care for others.
(Photo courtesy of Tent Schools International via Facebook)
Furthermore, teachers are developing positive relationships with students’ parents.
“They always visited them and shared together [about] their struggles, feelings, dreams, and prayed with them,” Haddad says. “We know that God is working [in] the hearts of these families.”
Though winter is coming to an end, Tent Schools needs your help to prepare for the future. Put worries of survival for next winter at ease for refugees by helping to establish tent schools in camps.
Be a financial partner with Tent Schools, starting here.
Also, continue praying for refugees around the world. Pray for the Lord’s provision and protection, and that He would instill an undying hope for the future in their lives.
