Lebanon (MNN) — It’s hard to make a school building feel like home when drone strikes and air raids are the new rhythm of daily life. But that’s exactly what the staff at Lebanon’s Arab Baptist Theological Seminary is aiming for.
When the latest crisis began, “We felt that God was leading us to open our guest house and dorms to welcome people,” ABTS Director of Partnerships Loulwa El Maalouf says.
“So many people have [had] to flee their homes, and this time, it’s even worse than previous years.”
Over one million people were displaced in three weeks when Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the Iran conflict. Nearly 200 found refuge at ABTS after fleeing Lebanon’s war zones.
ABTS is hosting 193 displaced individuals, including 53 children.
(Photo courtesy ABTS)
“We’re able to provide them with daily meals,” El Maalouf says. “We also started [a] daily community chapel where we encourage each other, worship God, and share a hopeful message from the Bible.”
No end in sight
Israel’s expanding footprint in southern Lebanon, along with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s promise of more strikes, dims any hope of de-escalation.
“It’s terrible that this war reached Lebanon. We had one day [where] we felt like the region is on fire, but Lebanon is spared. Unfortunately, this didn’t last at all,” El Maalouf says.
Ask the Lord to strengthen ABTS staff during this demanding season. You can also help ABTS continue this vital work.
“We are continuing with our education, and at the same time, we are working full-time as a shelter,” El Maalouf says, adding that ABTS staff put in long hours to fulfill a higher calling.
“We want to show the love of Christ. We want to do what we teach, and hopefully God will be glorified.”
Header and story images courtesy of ABTS.
