“Electricity, water, sewage, roads, everything is affected right now, with extra harm caused by this recent war and having 20 percent of our population forced to find a place of refuge overnight,” Melki says.

Life is “becoming very, very difficult.”

Refugee returns

Lebanon has the highest number of refugees per capita in the world, with roughly one-quarter to one-third of its population being made up of refugees. Most are Syrian; others include Palestinians, Iraqis, and Sudanese.

(Photo courtesy Heart for Lebanon)

“Lebanon cannot afford to host such a large refugee population and care for its own people in great need,” Melki says.

“As Christians, we cannot prefer a people group over others, and that’s not what I’m saying. What I’m saying is right now, Lebanon as a nation and the Lebanese as a community have so much pressure that they’re finding it very difficult to care for refugees.”

Over 200,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria since the war began. While 95 percent are Syrian refugees, the rest are Lebanese people looking for stability.

“Whether from Syria, Palestine, or Iraq, a large return of individuals to their countries will definitely lift some economic [and] socio-political strains on our society,” Melki says.

Following Christ’s example, Heart for Lebanon cares for those who remain, whether refugee or national. Believers’ unbiased attention often leads to Gospel opportunities.

“Desperate people take desperate measures,” Melki says.

“There is a vacuum in their life. It can either be filled by people who give them food to control and indoctrinate them, or it’s our opportunity to come alongside and lead them out of despair into hope in Christ alone.”

Relational care

Heart for Lebanon’s threefold approach is holistic, meeting the felt needs of every man, woman, and child. Here’s how you can help.

“First, we provide the basic essentials for survival: food and hygiene, blankets, mattresses, warm clothing, some medicine when available. It’s rainy season in Lebanon, and people on the run live with the clothes on their backs,” Melki says.

The ministry’s Hope On Wheels team helps kids forget the war raging around them.

Through our partnership with Samaritan’s Purse, we are delivering special gifts to children in the war-torn South. These “Gifts of Joy” are tangible expressions of God’s love and a reminder to these children that they are not forgotten.
(Photo, caption courtesy Heart for Lebanon)

“We go to schools that are being used as shelters for internally displaced people. We go to church parking lots, to villages, and do fun activities for children, giving them the opportunity to play in a safe environment, to laugh again,” Melki says.

Finally, a third team addresses families’ emotional and spiritual needs.

“Our relational engagement team spends long hours every day visiting, encouraging, listening to the stories of the people who are afraid, and even questioning the existence of God.”

Every touchpoint is another step toward the ministry’s goal: “To win the trust of the people we serve and to answer the Jesus question: where is Jesus? Who is Jesus? Who is the God of Christianity?” Melki says.

“I cannot tell you the joy we receive as we see people in tears, coming to faith, and the Bible studies, discipleship classes, and church attendance have increased significantly.”

Header and story images courtesy of Heart for Lebanon.

“Depending on their ethnicity and religious affiliation, they are either returning to Syria or looking for some other country to settle in [during] these difficult times. We have seen, of the individuals that we serve, around 200 families who have chosen to return,” Heart for Lebanon’s Camille Melki says.

“Syria is not the most stable country to return to, but compared to what’s going on in Lebanon right now, they feel safer heading back home.”

(Photo courtesy Heart for Lebanon)

Most of the returnees are Sunni Arabs, Melki adds. Syrian minority groups like Christians, Kurds, and Alawites aren’t taking any chances.

“There [is] still persecution [against] the Christian villages in Syria, and the Christian families are not feeling safe, so they have taken their chances the other way – believing that they can find safer places in Lebanon despite the war we are experiencing,” Melki says.

“The Kurdish population and the Alawite population that have come to Lebanon from Syria are petitioning the United Nations for further protection. [They know] that they cannot return to Syria, at least in the foreseeable future, because of the current regime’s stand against the Alawites and against the Kurds.”

How to help

Heart for Lebanon cares for thousands of refugees and displaced Lebanese people, providing help and hope in Jesus’ name. You can support those efforts here.

When war began in early March, “Heart for Lebanon added another 2,600 families overnight, over and above the many thousands of families that we care for,” Melki says.

Ask the Lord to strengthen believers as they care for refugees and displaced Lebanese in Jesus’ name. Pray that refugees would be drawn to Christ through the tangible demonstrations of His love.

“Heart for Lebanon has a comprehensive approach to crisis; we address it on the physical, the emotional, but also on the spiritual level,” Melki says.

Header and story images courtesy of Heart for Lebanon. 

“It’s Hezbollah who dragged the whole nation of Lebanon into a war with Israel,” says Camille Melki with Heart for Lebanon. “The Lebanese people did not choose that, do not want that. In fact, we long for a lasting peace for the entire region.”

(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

A month into the renewed war, Melki says the Lebanese government and army’s response has left a serious leadership vacuum, “which means that Hezbollah has a free rein in those areas, and Israel has a free rein to retaliate and attack Hezbollah in those areas.”

Yet beauty remains. Last weekend on Palm Sunday, children carried olive and palm branches down church aisles, singing “Hosanna, Hosanna!”

“You know, that word ‘God save us’ has a whole different meaning for us in times of war,” says Melki. 

The UN Refugee Agency reports that around 14% of Lebanon’s territory is now under Israeli evacuation threats. About one in five people in Lebanon have been displaced, according to a report from NPR.

Melki says Heart for Lebanon is now serving 7,200 families with aid and care. 

“Our team had to add 2,600 new families to our beneficiary list. This is a 45% increase,” he says. “This is a lot to take. We need wisdom. We need protection, and we need the prayer of perseverance, as we ourselves are faced with security threats and difficulties maneuvering aid from one place to the other. We are always trying to reach out to the families who are on the move.”

Heart for Lebanon’s focus on holistic, relational, and unconditional ministry allows believers to reach and engage refugees in relationship.
(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

Heart for Lebanon has given this Holy Week the title “Hope In the Resurrection.” Pray that their Good Friday and Easter services will bless many and point them to Jesus. 

“Our hope is found in Christ resurrected, the victorious over death,” says Melki. “I hope that gives us a reminder that eternal peace is only given to us through Jesus Christ.”

Pray also for the Heart for Lebanon team for the long road ahead. 

“We look at the moment where we will be all together in heaven, worshiping the Lamb. But in the meantime, we stand in solidarity with one another,” says Melki. 

Header photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon. 

Thousands live in tent communities or makeshift shelters. These structures offer little protection against excess rain, cold, or flooding. When temperatures drop, people face serious risks of hypothermia.

Certain populations are more at risk than others. “It’s the children, it’s the elderly, it’s the sick people who pay the highest price in any conflict. How much more with bad weather?” Melki says.

Kindness speaks volumes

Heart for Lebanon offers help and hope through its winter outreach. More about that here. Believers share the Gospel as they deliver blankets, mattresses, and warm clothing.

Many Syrian refugees are taken aback by the kindness. “It baffles them,” Melki says.

“It makes them wonder, ‘Why would you care for our needs? Our Muslim brothers and sisters didn’t even attend to our needs.’”

Displaced Lebanese are used to groups giving them help in exchange for a vote. “There are a lot of organizations that reach out to the Lebanese with a political motivation,” Melki explains.

Along with food kits and winterization supplies, Heart for Lebanon introduces people to the love and hope of Christ.
(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

Heart for Lebanon’s support is different. Melki says, “Our motivation is only the love of Jesus Christ, so we come out openly, boldly sharing the Gospel without any conditions attached to the gifts that we give.”

How to help

Consider donating to help Heart for Lebanon reach disadvantaged communities with the hope of Christ this winter. Pray for protection, wisdom, and boldness as believers interact with needy families.

“Pray that these conflicts in the Middle East end and that peace prevails. We’re not talking about any peace as much as eternal peace, a peace that comes from above,” Melki says.

“Unless the Church stands firm in times of crisis, we will miss the great opportunity to transform the Middle East for Christ.”

Header and story images courtesy of Heart for Lebanon. 

In the Middle East, Lebanon has also seen more winter precipitation than normal, making the needs in poor communities even more drastic.

“We’ve been watching the news coming out from the US, and boy, you guys have had some severe weather,” Heart for Lebanon’s Camille Melki says.

“The case in Lebanon is not as dramatic, but we’re talking about vulnerable communities – families living in makeshift homes and tent settlements with just a very thin tarp layer over their heads.”

(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

Expanded outreach

Typically, Heart for Lebanon starts stockpiling supplies in the fall – blankets, mattresses, and winter clothing – for its six-month winter outreach. See the impact of its 2024 outreach here.

“This year, because of the more-than-normal severe weather, we have doubled the amount of blankets that we have given out,” Melki says.

“Heart for Lebanon has given out more than 6,000 blankets, and we continue to distribute even more, trying to reach 2,000 vulnerable families by the end of this month.”

The Gospel accompanies each delivery. “Everything we give is given freely, unconditionally. All we want is the opportunity to tell you we do that because of the love of Jesus Christ in us,” Melki says.

“We are here, driven by the compassionate heart of Jesus Christ, trying to see lives changed and communities transformed – helping lead people out of despair into hope in Christ and Christ alone.”

How you can help

Would you consider giving to help vulnerable refugees and Lebanese through Heart for Lebanon? Your one-time investment helps bring food, winterization items, and the Gospel to a desperate family.

“When you think about your challenges – shoveling snow, moving things around in cold weather – remember, there are people who don’t even have anything over their head to survive that winter,” Melki says.

“If you are compelled to give, give with the love of Jesus Christ, knowing that your contribution will not only touch a life that is in physical need, but also needs to hear the Gospel.”

Header and story images courtesy of Heart for Lebanon. 

The ceasefire agreement is controversial. Camille Melki with Heart for Lebanon notes that there are different interpretations on where the agreement requires a complete disarmament of Hezbollah.

“Lebanon claims that this [December 31] deadline is only for the southern part of Lebanon. Of course, Israel claims that ‘No, this is for the entire Lebanese territory,'” Melki says. “Regardless, Lebanon did not meet that deadline.” 

Melki says some of the places Israel struck this week hadn’t been targeted since the November 2024 ceasefire, which made the attacks a surprising move. One Tuesday strike in Ghaziyeh, a district of Sidon, hit two miles from one of Heart for Lebanon’s ministry centers. The team has continued to serve through many dangers the past year, but it was a shock.

“Of course, some [staff] were quite shaken, as they live also near the center, and they could hear and see the damage early in the morning,” says Melki. “A lot of the buildings had broken glass.”

Today, January 8, an important cabinet meeting is happening with the Lebanese government, where the chief of Lebanon’s army will deliver a briefing on the current status of disarming non-state groups, which includes Hezbollah.

Food aid distribution
(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

“A lot is expected from that meeting,” says Melki, “not only to hear what the head of the army has to say about this deadline, but also how the army will continue in its quest to disarm Hezbollah.”

Find your place in the story

Pray for wise leaders to take bold and proper steps. Pray also for opportunities for the churches to share the hope of Christ with their communities.

“This is our moment to show boldly and clearly the Christ that we believe in,” says Melki. 

Glimpse how the team at Heart for Lebanon spreads practical aid and the gospel at heartforlebanon.org.

Finally, to those who follow Mission Network News reports, Melki extends a special greeting: “Happy New Year! Hoping that this 2026 brings joy and hope and well-being from our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Header photo: IDF displays weapons captured from Hezbollah in December 2024. (Wikimedia Commons) 

Ferial is telling others about her faith in Jesus Christ. Photo Provided by Heart For Lebanon.

Ferial is a Palestinian-Syrian woman who lived in Lebanon as a Muslim for many years.

Like other Palestinian refugees, she has lived in Lebanon without ever having any recognition from the government.

Living in poor conditions and with scarce resources, Ferial received physical aid from the Heart For Lebanon team. More importantly, joined their 3-year Discipleship Growth Program.

Camille Melki with Heart For Lebanon says that he and another ministry partner had the privilege of publicly baptizing Ferial among ministry brothers and sisters in early October.

In many cases, Muslims risk losing the support of family members and tribal leaders or being disowned when they declare a desire to follow Christ.

In countries that surround Lebanon, the lives of converts are at risk. In Ferial’s case, her landlord forced her to leave home.

Despite repercussions, Ferial, who is 61 years old, a widow, and illiterate, now shares the Gospel and openly declares Christ as her personal Savior.

“It’s not about just sharing the Gospel with her, which in itself is huge and amazing,” Melki says. “What’s important is that we can equip even people of very little educational means, equip them with tools to share the Gospel with others, and that’s what keeps the ministry alive.”

“We want to know that our relationship with Ferial, as important as that is, will also lead to her having built those relationships of trust with others, people that we might never have the opportunity to reach, but God will use her to reach them,” Melki says.

As a Gospel-centered organization, Heart For Lebanon meets the needs of shelter, medical care, and education, so that they can have Gospel conversations.

By visiting with individuals and families, Heart For Lebanon is building relationships and trust.

“They become family to us,” Melki says. “In those moments, that’s when we get the invitation to answer their questions about faith, about God, about religion, about if God exists, and if he does, does he care for our miseries, our pain?”

Please pray for ministries like the 3-year Discipleship Growth Program and for more testimonies like Ferial’s. Praise God for the work He is doing in Lebanon. 

Learn more about Ferial’s story here.

Header photo provided by Heart for Lebanon. 

Camille Melki with Heart For Lebanon says that religious minorities like Kurds, Christians, Alawites, and Shia Muslims are still very reluctant to return to Syria.

Heart For Lebanon has worked to reach Syrian refugees in Lebanon. (Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

During the 13 years of civil war in Syria, about 60–65% of people population was displaced. About 6.8 million Syrians fled to other nations, especially neighboring ones like Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey.

Heart For Lebanon has served refugees and locals alike as they aim to emulate Christ-like love, which creates opportunities for sharing the gospel.

“Heart for Lebanon is a ministry that focuses on addressing the needs of the marginalized, the vulnerable, those who have been suffering tremendously and have either been residents of this nation or have moved into this country of Lebanon,” Melki says.

To Syrian refugees, aid from a Christian organization may first seem to have ulterior motivations. Many believe Christians to be the enemy, or they think that organizations like Heart for Lebanon seek to gain politically through their work. When they see Christians behave differently, it creates gospel opportunities.

“We serve unconditionally, but that doesn’t mean unconditional aid forces us not to share the Gospel. In fact, it’s the reverse,” Melki says. “People in the Middle East ask questions; Syrian refugees are the first to do so. ‘What motivates you? What drives you, what gets you out of bed every morning? Why do you care for a person from a different faith background, from a different religious group, or from a different ethnic background?’ When they hear that the aid we give is given unconditionally, it baffles them.”

Melki has seen a thirst for the gospel among Syrian refugees. As they return home, please pray that they will take the message of Jesus with them.

“What excites me the most is what will happen in Syria, six, seven, eight years from now, when individuals who have expressed their faith in Christ in Lebanon are ready to carry that gospel message among their own people in their own country.”

Please pray also for the emotional loss and healing needed in Syria as they work to rebuild.

Pray also for Lebanon as it recovers economically and politically from all the

factors involved in hosting Syrian refugees.

Header Photo courtesy of Shvan Hark via Unsplash

“One of the most important points of ending the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel is for Hezbollah to turn its arms to the Lebanese army,” says Camille Melki with Heart for Lebanon. 

Yet this has not happened. The Lebanese government has pledged to disarm the militant group by the end of the year, but Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has publicly restated that they will not lay down their arms.

“The agreement says the entire nation of Lebanon should be free of Hezbollah arms — in fact, free of any militant arms, and the Lebanese army should be the only one carrying weapons,” says Melki. “Whereas Hezbollah’s argument is [that] only in a part of southern Lebanon [do] they need to be disarmed.’ That works against the agreement.”

H.E. General Joseph Aoun, President of the Republic of Lebanon, right, and Dubravka Šuica, center, during a meeting in Baabda, Lebanon February 2025. (Photo and caption by © European Union, 2025, CC BY 4.0. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Meanwhile, Israel continues near-daily airstrikes in Lebanon against Hezbollah targets, which Hezbollah and Lebanese authorities call another violation of the ceasefire agreement. Israel considers it self-defense against Hezbollah activities.

Israel isn’t the only one with misgivings about Lebanon’s ability to disarm Hezbollah in the next month and a half. 

“All indications point to the lack of possibility to meet that deadline,” says Melki, “and that scares all of us in Lebanon.” 

They see that if Lebanon’s army doesn’t succeed, Israel’s targeted airstrikes could become something more. 

“Here we have to differentiate: Israel’s conflict is with Hezbollah, not with the nation of Lebanon. But we can all be drawn into the major conflict and major war,” Melki says. “That would affect at least all the citizens of southern Lebanon, regardless of their faith background, ethnic background, and political affiliation — pro- or against Hezbollah.”

As a gospel-centered humanitarian agency, Heart for Lebanon has a front-row seat to what Lebanese citizens and the refugee population are going through. Melki says they recently had 46 baptisms, indicating that people are searching for the truth.

“They’re seeking answers for their pain and suffering. They’re wondering what else can be done in order to prevent another disaster. And whom to trust? They have lost trust in the earthly leaders and their spiritual leaders. Muslim Sunni, Muslim Shia, Alawites, Kurds, people of all faiths who are now seeking the truth,” says Melki. 

“There is no truth but in Christ, and our job is to point them to Jesus our Savior.” 

Please pray for God’s mercy and for true peace in Christ to come to Lebanon. Learn more about Heart for Lebanon’s ministry here. 

Header photo courtesy of Beirut, Lebanon courtesy of Jo Kassis/Pexels.

Near the biblical city of Sidon, Christians are building a new ministry center to serve local Lebanese in a predominantly Muslim area.

Camille Melki of Heart for Lebanon says, “For the first time in modern Lebanese history, a Christian community is buying property from Muslims to build a church on it!”

Sidon Sea Castle, Lebanon (Photo courtesy of Haytham Dalank via Usplash)

In an area largely populated by Shia and Sunni Muslims, this development became possible only after nearly 20 years of consistent presence, practical help, and genuine love. Over time, the ministry earned the community’s trust.

“How did we get to purchase a property from a Muslim community? Right now, my only answer is by God’s grace,” adds Melki.

The Hope Ministry Center stands in southern Lebanon, a region home to many refugees and displaced families. Despite the ceasefire, drones still buzz overhead as Hezbollah activity continues. Years of conflict with Israel, coupled with the nation’s economic collapse, have left parents unable to educate their children and businesses struggling to survive.

“A lot of the problems that this country has been experiencing are because it is spiritually poor, where the Gospel is not reaching the masses,” Melki explains.

But change is happening!

Lebanese children (photo courtesy of Hussein Haidar Salman via Pexels)

Alongside biblical teaching, the Hope Ministry Center takes a holistic approach — offering education, healthcare, and discipleship training.

The Hope Ministry Center will provide education for children and adults, along with a sanctuary for Arabic- and Kurdish-speaking congregations, a leadership training hub, a safe playground, and medical clinics meeting physical needs while pointing people to spiritual hope.

Each weekend, over eight hundred people already join the ministry’s spiritual programs. “This new Ministry Center,” says Melki, “will add at least 30 to 40 percent capacity, and so we can imagine how many more people will be blessed.”

It’s a season of transformation, as the Gospel brings hope to weary hearts across Lebanon. Pray for Heart for Lebanon as they continue to demonstrate Christ’s love in practical ways. Ask God to make local churches grow and multiply with joy, despite hardship.

“We’re so grateful for what God has done in our midst, and by faith we look for amazing things this center will accomplish, all by God’s goodness and provision,” Melki says.

Representative header photo: Lala, Lebanon (photo courtesy of Ibrahim Zada via Unsplash).