Weekly devotion: Pray for those living in fear in Lebanon
Tahaddi, Beirut
View from Tahaddi's building
This week, we’re praying for our partner Tahaddi in Lebanon. Tahaddi (which means ‘challenge’ in Arabic) is an organisation that offers holistic support to families facing extreme economic hardship through health, education and psychosocial services. The families it serves are economically vulnerable and live in the informal settlement of Hay El Gharbeh in southern Beirut.
Unsurprisingly, the recent escalation in hostilities between Israel and Lebanon has had a deep impact on Tahaddi. The centre is still open but is very close to some of the areas that have been hit by airstrikes. Many of the staff live in areas that have been bombed and most have been displaced from their homes.
The remaining staff are working to provide displaced families with food, and the refugee women trained by Tahaddi’s Sewing Atelier are preparing to make blankets and pillowcases to distribute.
Catherine Mourtada, the co-founder of Tahaddi, told us: “The days are frightening and the destruction is massive.”
Bible reading
‘God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.’
Psalm 46: 1-3
Thought
In times of war and conflict, we are invited to trust God as our refuge and strength, a constant presence in trouble. This Psalm reminds us that even in the most frightening of times, God is near to us. It is often in these moments of fear and turmoil that faith shines brightest.
Ask yourself: How can we continue to trust God in times of uncertainty?
Prayer
God of peace,
As the conflict in the Middle East deepens, we cry out to you.
We lift up to you the people of Lebanon, and today we especially think of those living in Hay El Gharbeh. May you provide comfort and refuge at this deeply frightening and uncertain time.
Strengthen the hand of our partner Tahaddi. As they continue to serve those in need, may they be beacons of hope in the darkness and may the light of Christ shine through them.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Impact Stories
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