How Heart for Lebanon avoids compassion fatigue and burnout

By April 29, 2022

Lebanon (MNN) — Lebanon seemingly faces another new crisis every month, and it’s been that way since 2019. How do Gospel workers continue meeting needs without burning out?

“We are equally affected by all the mess and political turmoil that our country goes through,” Heart for Lebanon’s Camille Melki says.

“We want to stay focused on what’s important, and that is to share the Gospel. So we do a minimum of three, sometimes four, spiritual retreats every year, where we are caring for ourselves and caring for one another, trying to spend time in prayer.”

(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

The next retreat is just around the corner, and its theme is “Victory in Jesus.” “We’re facing a physical, emotional, but more importantly, a spiritual battle,” Melki says.

“We’re not going to be victorious by our own strength; we can only be victorious in Christ.”

Pray for Melki and other leaders as they monitor compassion fatigue in their staff.

“We do a lot of member care and very important checks and balances [to look for] compassion fatigue among our staff. When we do that, we have to circle back and see how we can love on each other, encourage one another,” Melki says.

Pray for effective communication between Heart for Lebanon workers and leaders. “It’s very important those two things happen: the leadership is aware and diligent, but also that the staff has the courage and the ability to ask when help is needed,” Melki says.

 

 

Header image depicts a worship service in Lebanon. (Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)


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