Israel/Lebanon/Palestine Emergency Relief Appeal — December 2023 Update
• We work with forcibly displaced people south of the Gaza Strip, targeting children and mothers for psychosocial interventions. These include mediation with small groups of mothers and children, with the hope of helping alleviate the effects of the traumatic experiences they have been through.
• We conduct training in Psychological First Aid (PFA) to help reduce panic in emergency situations, which occur frequently.
• We distribute hygiene kits to help with cleanliness and reduce the spread of communicable diseases.
• We organize health awareness days for groups of mothers to help improve health and nutrition.
• We treat patients in the DSPR-NECC Rafah Clinic for primary health care services, including offering medicines and health supplies.
• Most members of the Christian community in the two churches remain, around 800 of them. We bring them food and basic supplies during ceasefires. They are in great need of specific medicines. We are trying our best to help them but with little success. The invasion is now very close to the churches.
Nader Abou Amsha
Synod of Syria and Lebanon
The ongoing war in southern Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel continues to displace families and civilians from both sides to the interior to escape death. In addition to the casualties of hundreds of civilians, irreparable damage to more than five million square meters of forests, agricultural lands, and thousands of olive trees has been done. More than 40,000 Lebanese have been displaced from their border villages.
The war greatly affected commercial and industrial institutions in southern Lebanon. Everything related to the economy was damaged. The region depends mainly on agriculture, as it includes large areas of land, fields, and farms that contain different types of crops according to the seasons. It is currently olive season and people cannot harvest crops from the trees. Most people depend on this season in which olives are transformed into olive oil to sell and secure income throughout the year. Shop owners no longer have customers due to the large displacement. Many have closed permanently.
Children who attended schools in the area stopped their studies about 50 days after the start of the school year due to the closure of schools and the displacement of their parents to other safe areas in Beirut and elsewhere.
Regarding our churches in the South and their families, Najeeb, the elder of the church in Alma Al-Shaab, lost his home in a rocket attack. The fruit trees in his orchard, which provided him with part of his livelihood after retirement, died due to his inability to water them. He sadly said to me, “How can I, since I am retired, rebuild my house and plant my garden again?”
At the beginning of the Advent season, we pray to God Almighty to help us anticipate the birth of Jesus in peace and justice, and respect the human life that God sanctified in His incarnation in the person of Jesus.
Rev. Joseph Kassab
Please continue to pray and give generously. As we shared in our first appeal, all funds will be used to reduce the suffering of all people in the region. While nations and groups war, The Outreach Foundation stands with all of God’s children in the hope that the light of Christ will shine in the darkness.
Grateful for your generosity,
Rev. Dr. Mark Mueller
Executive Director
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts to support the Israel/Lebanon/Palestine Emergency Appeal. All gifts of any size are welcomed. You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.