Middle East: ‘sleep-deprived and anxious’

‘We are sleep deprived and anxious,’ evangelicals at the centre of the Middle East conflict have told en, ‘but we keep faith in God.’

As the conflict involving Israel, Gaza, Lebanon and Iran reached ever-higher temperatures, staff at Christian TV station SAT-7 reported how they are caught right in the heart of the terrifying situation.

Director Sarah Soueidy told Evangelicals Now: ‘At the studio, we are so close to the bombing, it’s only a few kilometres away, so you can really feel and hear everything when the bombs go off.

‘Christian and non-Christians are fleeing their homes. Our programme ‘You Are Not Alone’ is trying to cover these stories and be the voice of those who don’t have a voice at these times.

‘We are living in very difficult circumstances – we are sleep deprived and anxious. But we keep faith in God and his promises, and we are passionate about SAT-7 and its mission. We ask everyone to keep praying for all the SAT-7 staff in Lebanon, so we can keep the strength and faith to keep doing what we are doing.’

Safa Hijazeen, Tearfund’s Middle East Regional Director, told en: ‘Over the past few weeks we have seen a dramatic shift in the scale of the conflict and the scale of the displacement. More than a million people have been forced to flee their homes. Entire communities have been uprooted.

‘And it’s no longer just the south of the country that is being hit by airstrikes. Nowhere is safe, including the capital Beirut. This has put enormous pressure on a country that was already at breaking point and Lebanon is now heading towards a humanitarian disaster.

‘Our church partners are doing their absolute best to serve people who have fled their homes, often with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They are providing food, shelter, and essential items like mattresses, clothing, hygiene products and nappies.’

Hijazeen added: ‘If anything gives cause for hope right now, it is the love and courage displayed by our church partners. The church in the Middle East has played a vital role for 2,000 years and has always been there at times of crisis. And once again, churches are responding to the needs of their communities, opening their doors to provide practical aid and emotional support. It’s a privilege for us to come alongside them at this time of immense need.’