Displaying items by tag: Lebanon

The main coronavirus hospital in Lebanon has been forced to close operating rooms and delay surgeries amid lengthy power cuts caused by a spiralling economic crisis. Dr Firass Abiad said Lebanon’s largest public healthcare facility was ‘barely making ends meet’ and running out of fuel to power generators for power cuts now lasting 15 hours. Despite soaring summer temperatures the hospital has turned off air-conditioning units in the administrative offices and in the corridors to ensure wards and intensive care units can be cooled, as they treat over 90% of the country’s two thousand confirmed coronavirus cases. He warned that if the crippling power cuts continue, the hospital would have just enough fuel to man the generators for three weeks. The crisis at the hospital is part of the fallout of an unprecedented financial crisis and deteriorating economic conditions in the country.

Vincent al-Boustani’s local council runs a tight ship. Staff and volunteers conduct 24/7 patrols, cameras monitor the streets, and motorcycles are banned after 9 pm. A policeman stands guard to provide security amid rising crime as the economy collapses and the crisis pushes more Lebanese into poverty. Protesters are targeting the ruling elite and banks that have frozen depositors out of their savings. Some banks have erected steel barriers to shield against attack, as the economy crumbles and fear of crime increases. Boustani believes things will get even worse, saying ‘That’s why we must remain alert, aware of danger as we go towards the unknown.’ This financial crisis has developed in Lebanon since 2019, more and more families can’t cope as the currency collapses and the state offers little or no help. Pray for God's peace to fill the streets as Lebanon faces enormous threats to stability.

On 29 April, banks across Lebanon were torched and vandalised by hundreds of demonstrators during the second night of protests over their currency recently losing 50% in value. The largest and most violent protests were in Tripoli, the second-largest, and poorest, city. One 26-year-old protester died from army gunshot wounds and many were hospitalised from heavy-handed responses to protests. Human Rights Watch called for transparent investigations into the death. Poverty has worsened during the nationwide pandemic lockdown. The social affairs minister estimated that 75% of the population require aid in a country of about six million - but that aid has been meagre and slow to come. Massive anti-government protests began in October but paused during lockdown. Now they are angrier and more desperate. On 30 April the Daily Star reported 23 soldiers wounded overnight in Tripoli and Sidon.

The Scout movement is investigating an accusation that its Lebanon branch is training youths to become Islamic terrorists. The Imam Al-Mahdi Scouts has 45,000 boys and girls wearing traditional scouting uniforms and scarves. Investigators found that young recruits to the Al-Mahdi Scouts are groomed from the ages of four to become supporters and fighters for Hezbollah. Scouts have provided 'honour guards' at funerals of known Hezbollah terrorists, and have been pictured posing with armed fighters, wearing military uniforms and headbands with anti-Israel slogans such as 'Jerusalem - we are coming!' Hezbollah 'in its entirety' is on Britain’s list of proscribed terrorist organisations - previously the list only included its military wing. Al-Mahdi Scouts previously denied reports that older Scouts receive military training with weapons, but now they admit that many adolescent members become Hezbollah fighters. 200+ former members of the Scouts have died fighting against Israel and in the civil war in Syria.

Lebanon's prime minister, Saad Hariri, has announced he is resigning following almost two weeks of anti-government protests.

Mr Hariri said he had hit a "dead end" and would tender his resignation to President Michel Aoun.

Demonstrations across the country have brought it to a standstill. Banks, schools and universities have been shut as a cross-section of society called for the whole government to go.

Hundreds of thousands of people have set aside religious differences and political affiliations and taken to the streets to demand an end to government corruption, inequality and sectarianism.

There have been demonstrations from the northern and traditionally conservative city of Tripoli, through the capital Beirut and all the way to the southern city of Tyre.

Those taking part want the political class that has dominated the country since its 1975-1990 civil war to be overthrown.

Its current economic crisis is the worst since that period, with a black market for US dollars developing in the last month or so.

More at: https://news.sky.com/story/lebanons-pm-al-hariri-to-resign-after-anti-government-protests-11848399

Pray: that the issues of corruption, inequality and sectarianism can be peacefully resolved.
Pray: that the more militant organisations will not take advantage of this unrest.
Pray: for a just and representative government to be democratically elected.
Pray: that Lebanon shall be saved.

Protesters have paralysed Lebanon, blocking roadways, closing schools and shutting banks nationwide. Emergency reform measures and an offer of dialogue with protest representatives by the president failed to defuse anger or move the cross-communal demonstrations of Christians, Muslims (Shia and Sunni), and Druze from the streets demanding the resignation of all Lebanese political leaders. On 29 October the prime minister, Saad Hariri, resigned. The protests over political corruption and economic turmoil began after now-scrapped plans to tax WhatsApp calls were introduced in mid-October. Lebanon has one of the highest debt levels in the world. Mr Hariri must stay on until a new administration is established, but parliament contains the same factions that are in the outgoing coalition. On 30 October demonstrators celebrated Hariri’s departure, but vowed to stay in the streets until all their demands are met. See

On 1 September Hezbollah fired several precision-guided missiles from Lebanon towards an army base on Israel’s northern border, destroying an IDF armoured vehicle in the attack. Thankfully, there were no soldiers inside it at the time, but there had been just 30 minutes before the attack, leading Israel’s Army Radio to broadcast that Israel and Hezbollah were ‘30 minutes away from war’. Israel led Hezbollah to believe that there were casualties by staging a well-planned medical evacuation, prompting the terror group to hold fire and giving Israel tactical advantage to strike back with artillery and helicopter fire, sending over 100 shells into Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. Many lives are at risk due to escalating tensions between Israel and Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah.

Lebanon's name was mentioned 71 times in the Old Testament. Its regions are referred to several times in the New Testament. The Old Testament is full of praise for Lebanon's natural beauty and resources and God's love for men and women is celebrated.

Lebanon's role in the history of salvation becomes even more evident in the writings of New Testament authors. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, visited the Phoenician cities along Lebanon's coast, preached to the people there and healed the sick.

God loves His people and He wants them to be saved. We had a burden for many years to pray continually for Lebanon, we want to see Lebanon transformed to Jesus Christ. Hallelujah.

In Psalm 24:1-2 we read “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas, and established it on the waters.”

CHURCH:

Pray: for unity between all church denominations in Lebanon (Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelica, etc...) Let every church become a house of prayer leading people to know about Jesus as the only true saviour. Pray for all church leaders, bishops, archbishops, all clergy and lay ministers.

Pray: for the church in Lebanon that Jesus established to be strong. Jesus’ church has stood the test of time. It cannot be stopped by force, political pressure, or even political correctness. Jesus will continue to build His church until He returns in glory to redeem His bride, and absolutely nothing or no one can stand in His way.

Pray: that the Lord God gives His church the spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowledge according to the riches of His glory, for His faithful to be strengthened with might by His Spirit that Christ may dwell in the hearts of His Lebanese people for ever; and that they are rooted and grounded in love. May they be able to comprehend and to know the love of Christ, which passes all knowledge, that they might be filled with all the fullness of God.

Lilian Schmid - Coordinator                                              

Prayer Strategy for the Spheres of Influence                             
www.prayerstrategy.org

Four brothers and their families in a wealthy Syrian suburb lost homes, cars, and belongings through shelling. They moved to the relative safety of a new city, sharing just one apartment (16 children, parents, and grandparents). The inflated rent has to be paid on a daily basis. Their vulnerability and poverty were difficult to adjust to. Family members suffered stress-related ailments, including ulcers. A pastor coordinating a Lebanese relief project visited them and asked what they needed. They said they wanted to be treated like humans not animals. One said his brain had stopped and he couldn’t think ahead: ‘How can I rebuild my life, when I now have no home and no money?' The pastor said there is hope, because Jesus gives us hope. He prayed with the sick family members. Since that visit, the family has received some food assistance through the church, and a few of them are attending Bible study sessions.

‘It was as if God had prepared us for this,’ said Pastor Hikmat Kashouh of his congregation. He is recalling the time when over a million Syrian refugees started pouring into Lebanon, fleeing civil war. Resurrection Church, Beirut had already built strong connections with local Syrian workers. But what the church was less prepared for was the radical transformation it would take to welcome former enemies as equal members of their church family. From an unremarkable congregation of ninety people to one that welcomes 1,300 people and broadcasts to thousands across the Arab world via SAT-7, Resurrection Church has experienced a great transformation in the last ten years among Arabs, Kurds, and Muslim converts. To read the inspiring story of conversions, click the ‘More’ button.