“We want to stay in our homes and don’t want any war in our town,” says George al-Ameel in southern Lebanon.
Al-Ameel – a church leader in the Christian village of Rmeish – was speaking to journalists as part of a BBC report that reiterates what Barnabas Aid contacts had already confirmed.
Barnabas Aid is one of a very few international Christian organizations that are helping suffering and abandoned believers in Lebanon. Since October, thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we have sent money and aid specifically to brothers and sisters in Christ, innocently caught up in this brutal conflict.
The church building in the center of Rmeish, southern Lebanon, where Christians are caught in the middle of a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. [Image credit: Directory of Churches in Lebanon]
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has caused significant destruction in southern Lebanon, leaving many communities trapped or displaced.
The residents of Rmeish, located near the Israeli border, are among those brave Lebanese Christians who have stayed in southern Lebanon, partly to protect their homes, lands, and churches from falling into the hands of the Islamist supporters of Hezbollah.
“We consider [Hezbollah] the oppressors,” said a Barnabas project partner in early October.
Christians here have long faced pressure from Hezbollah, who seek strategic control of their land due to its proximity to conflict zones. In 2022 protests from Christian residents of Rmeish and Lebanese church leaders forced Hezbollah to stop building work near their village.
Yet the result of this desire to protect their land is that the people of Rmeish are now at risk of Israeli bombardment. One family was forced to find another place to stay in the village after their home was sadly destroyed.
“We were staying in our house for months, then the air strikes started getting very close and suddenly our house was hit, we were forced to leave in the middle of the night,” Rasha Makhbour, a 38-year-old mother, told reporters.
At the end of October, the main route out of the village was also struck. Even if the local villagers decide to flee, as many others have done, the attempt may cost them their lives.
The Beginning of a Humanitarian Disaster
This strike has also stopped vital supplies from reaching the village.
“We have needs for fuel, foods and medicines,” continues church leader al-Ameel. “There was a delivery coming from Tyre that had to turn around.
“If someone is hurt, there’s no hospital for serious medical care.” Without access to medical care, fuel, or food, the villagers face a growing humanitarian disaster.
The Kadisha Valley cross in the Mount Lebanon region, a region historically associated with Christian communities. Thousands of Christians have now fled here seeking refuge from the conflict. [Image credit: Brian Dell]
“The situation is really bad,” adds Jiries al-Alam, a farmer who also works for the church in Rmeish. “There are no goods, no food, or fuel coming through.”
Thousands of Christians have fled from the south, seeking a measure of safety in the Mount Lebanon region further north.
One woman told a Barnabas Aid project partner that she and her family left Tyre – another city with a historic Christian community – after receiving a phone call from the Israeli military instructing them to leave their home.
“We got scared and left,” she said. “Yesterday there were two airstrikes near to our house.”
These displaced Christians are also desperately short of vital supplies. “People have lost homes and jobs,” says our project partner. “They have lost any financial help that they would usually receive.”
“My Only Wish is Peace”
As well as these practical needs, they are also suffering the trauma of being displaced from their homes. The conflict, which has persisted for over a year and escalated dramatically in recent weeks, continues to disrupt lives, causing widespread agony and loss.
“For the past year, we have lived in fear and terror since the war began at the borders,” Saada Younes told Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar .
Saada left her home in Debbel – not far from Rmeish – and fled to the Mount Lebanon region. “We managed to hold on until a tragedy struck in our village when a family was killed by a rocket.”
“It is unclear where that rocket came from, and we decided it was time to flee.”
“What I miss most is my home in my village. We cannot endure being displaced every 15 years. I am 55 years old, and this is the third time I have been forced to leave.”
“Every time we try to rebuild our lives from scratch, we are forced back into displacement. Today, my only wish is to return to my village and live in peace there.”
Ask that the Lord will supply the needs of Christians in Lebanon – both those in the conflict zone and those who have been displaced. Give thanks for Barnabas-funded aid that has already reached believers there. Ask for peace to come swiftly and for God’s comfort to strengthen our brothers and sisters during these difficult times.
