A lady affected by the Beirut Blast, said in confused and bittersweet tears while receiving a box of aid offered by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) “I did not expect to receive cleaning products that would last me for 3 to 4 months, especially that I was not capable of, buying them myself”. In fact, since the 4th of August, this lady’s tears have been burning. She described the pain and despair that are dominating Beirut's people who, without individual initiatives and assistance of churches and civil societies, would have been neither helped nor supported in these tragic and brutal circumstances.

Although the Lebanese and international observers were hopeful that the FBI would disclose a revelation that would inflame the media, it unfortunately released an inconclusive report which left many questions unanswered. However, not all hope is lost as the judge overseeing the case is still awaiting the French Investigators’ report which is expected to be more comprehensive and conclusive than the one the FBI handed over, which had not determined whether the explosion was accidental or not.

Syria and Lebanon

Humanitarian Update

Reporting period: from 12 to 19 October 2020

Dr. Michel Abs, the MECC Secretary General started his official visits to the council’s Presidents to thank them for their confidence in electing him as Secretary General for four years. Therefore, his first visit was to His Beatitude Mar Bechara Boutros Al Rahi at the Patriarchate headquarters in Bkerke. He was accompanied by Fr. Gabriel Hachem, the Associate Secretary General and director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department, Mrs. Huguette Salameh, director of the Communication and Public Relations Department, and Ms. Nina Hallak, coordinator of the Diakonia Department in Beirut.

In the framework of the last two appeals launched by the Middle East Council of Churches consequently to the Beirut Blast, the Diakonia department’s team provided a new batch of relief supplies to presidents in the member church to be distributed to the most vulnerable and damaged families in the Eastern Orthodox, Orthodox, Evangelical and Catholic Churches.

Winter is coming, the economic crisis is getting worse and worse, the spread of the Corona virus is increasing horribly and Beirut’s citizens are still suffering from their bleeding wounds. Over 60 days have passed on the catastrophe that hit Beirut, and huge damages still linger on whereas Lebanese people are exhausted from trying to survive while facing an unknown fate. Who will save them from this disaster that ruined their lives and destroyed their future?

In a progressive step towards finding the real reason behind the Beirut blast, the FBI delivered its final report to the judge overseeing the issue. Although there are no indications to what is the content of the report, the judge is still waiting for similar reports from French and British explosives experts. Hopefully, a verdict will be passed soon and those responsible for the reckless actions that lead to the disaster will be brought to justice.

MECC implemented a training for 45 teachers and institute directors in Damascus, entitled “child protection”. This training aims to improve the teachers’ capacities to deal with children through better understanding of their emotions and thoughts depending on their age. In addition to raising awareness to wrong and common behavior with kids.

The secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Dr. Michel Abs addressed a condolences letter to His Holiness Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and to the family of the deceased Georges Jamil Hazou, and his loved ones.

Syria and Lebanon

Humanitarian Update

Reporting period: from 5 to 12 October 2020

Dr. Michel Abs, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) welcomed at the Council's headquarters in Beirut, the priest of the parish Mar Behnam & Sarah for Syriac Catholic, Father David Melki. Father melki offered Dr. Abs a copy of the documentary “Roots don’t die”, while he was accompanied by a team of the media committee, Johnny Karam, Raffi Sayegh, Leah Adel Meemary and Tony Azar. After the team offered their gift and congratulated Dr. Abs for his new position as Secretary General for the MECC, Melki explained the reasons that pushed him to prepare this documentary; Which studied the Biography of Mor Ephram the Syriac, in coincidence with the Saint's centenary and his declaration as a Saint for the whole church in 1920.

Con el fin de difundir la educación para la salud entre el mayor número posible de miembros de la sociedad, el Consejo de Iglesias de Oriente Medio (MECC) organizó una jornada de formación sobre concienciación sanitaria, en la que participaron veinte mujeres en Damasco y Damasco Rural. Durante los seis días de formación, los participantes conocieron las enfermedades más virales de la sociedad, sus causas, tratamiento y precauciones a tomar. Además de aprender cómo medir la presión arterial y un entrenamiento básico en primeros auxilios. Se dedicaron dos días más al apoyo psicológico, durante el cual las damas aprendieron sobre las habilidades de comunicación efectiva, el discernimiento, el pensamiento positivo, el manejo de los desafíos y el establecimiento de una meta y un plan para lograrlo.

The catastrophe that hit the heart of the capital Beirut on the 4th of August, at a time where the country was drowning in an endless cycle of political, economic and health crises. On that day, the scale was tipped, during which the Lebanese people lived horrifying and difficult hours in a tragic black cloud. But the very next day, the Lebanese rushed to the streets of the destroyed capital, and before scenes of massive destruction, they stood in solidarity to save their injured capital, in complete absence of the government. The Lebanese people, especially youth, refused to have their dreams buried in these streets, that turned into war-like zones; rather they wanted to saw hope to rebuild their Beirut.

Télé Lumière - Noursat dedicated a weekly segment for the Middle East Council of Churches every Thursday in "Al Nour Maana" show, to discuss the latest updates regarding the MECC appeal as well its relief and development projects in Beirut.

The families of the victims and those affected are revolting

Although at a smaller scale, demonstrations once again erupted in the capital, calling for justice transparency and the truth. Till today, not one low or high level employee, or political figure has been sacked, revealing the degree of accountability in the country. Laughably, the government during the beginning of the month, mourned the death of a Kuwaiti ruler when it continuously failed to honor those that fell in Beirut, by delivering swift justice. Yet again, our political elite sucked up to our wealthier neighbors hoping to receive some petty cash. As for the matter of those that had fallen, knowing Lebanon’s history and political climate, they may join a long roster of casualties that were forgotten across the ages.

With the aim of spreading health education among the largest possible number of society members, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) organized a training session about health awareness, in which twenty women participated in Damascus and Rural Damascus. During the six days training, the participants learned about the most viral diseases in society, their causes, treatment and precautions to take. In addition to learning the right ways to measure blood pressure and basic first aid training. An extra two days were dedicated to psychological support; During which the ladies learned more about effective communication skills, discernment, positive thinking, dealing with challenges and setting a goal, and a plan to achieve it.

Así como Su Beatitud el Patriarca John X Yazigi de Antioquía y de todo el Oriente me honró con su agradecimiento y me llenó con su amor al encargarme y nominarme para el cargo de Secretario General del Consejo de Iglesias de Oriente Medio, y como ustedes mismos han aceptado amablemente esta nominación, permítanme expresarles mi más profundo agradecimiento por haberme confiado este precioso talento.Permítanme compartir con ustedes, además, la firme convicción que tengo con respecto a un talento del que seré responsable, ya que se deposita en mi una confianza en este histórico momento presente que todos atravesamos y que estamos sumidos en peligros y que no ha conocido precedentes.

La UNIFIL interviene

Esta semana, la UNIFIL envió sus fuerzas al puerto de Beirut para apoyar a las autoridades con la remoción de escombros y apoyar los esfuerzos de construcción luego de la devastadora explosión del puerto del 4 de agosto. Los equipos de la ONU lo harán en tres fases, para permitir que las operaciones en el puerto se reanuden lo antes posible, ya que la economía del país también está en ruinas y se necesita cada centavo. Sin embargo, no hay duda de que este esfuerzo es una buena señal de que el Líbano es una de las principales preocupaciones de la comunidad internacional. Tal vez, esta sea una buena señal de que la intervención extranjera en la construcción aumentará con el tiempo y pondrá de rodillas a los responsables de la tragedia o de la corrupción en el Líbano.

Cartas de felicitación de organizaciones internacionales, iglesias miembros de MECC y amigos al Dr. Michel Abs, luego de ser elegido como Secretario General de MECC por los próximos cuatro años, deseándole un camino exitoso y bendecido en medio de las difíciles circunstancias por las que atraviesan Oriente Medio y sus iglesias.

El Departamento de DSPR representado por la Sra. Sylvia Haddad le deseó suerte a la Secretaria General Honoraria, Dra. Souraya Bechealany, en sus esfuerzos futuros y su misión futura. Le dieron un regalo: una bufanda hecha a mano de “Enaach”, un taller en el campamento palestino en el Líbano.