EYES ON BEIRUT – HOW THE CHURCH RESPONDED TO THE NEEDS AFTER BEIRUT BLAST

Beirut Blast
On the 4th of August Beirut was devastated by a huge blast. The explosion killed almost 200 people, injured 6000 others, and left 300,000 people homeless. Some people lost their houses totally, others need to repair their houses in order to be able to come back to it. People stayed under the slump for days. The disaster was so big, it required lots of work. The Lebanese people, Churches and NGOs got on the move instantly.
What We Did
As FEAL we felt the urge and the call to go and work in Beirut. With minimal planning, we sent our youth to put up a small tent where they can distribute food, water, Bibles, Christian literature, clothes and lots of small items that are needed in such an emergency were they can reach out to people at the same time. We also helped in the cleaning process, the youth took brooms, shovels, hammers, nylon roles, and many more things that helped us repair basic things, like broken doors and windows
Actual Plan and Purpose of “Our Eyes on Beirut” Project
Meanwhile, we started planning and we came out with the following plan for future ministry in the area. we decided that during the month of September through December we will be aiding 500 families that have been affected by the explosion.
We took the decision to visit 500 families in the vicinity of the explosion area with a hygienic & stationary kit that includes hygienic material, Stationary, some necessary tools and a New Testament. From these families we will concentrate on 200 families that will show interest to revisit them bimonthly for follow up for the next 5 months. We will donate a small cash amount at each each visit to meet part of their vital needs for surviaval (food, groceries, school items, generator & internet bills, etc…) From these families we will select 50 homes of the neediest to repair their apartments mainly windows & doors to protect them from the coming rainy season within a limited budget for each of the 50 homes. We want to help these families to go back to their damaged apartments as soon as possible. We want reach out to them, pray with them on each visit we do, follow up on them, establish long term relationships with them that will leads to home Bible studies in the hope that many will come to know Christ as their Savior and in the hope that one day this will lead to a church plant in the area.
Covid-19
This ministry that we are doing is happening at the same time as the second wave of Covid-19 spreads widely in the country. huge numbers of Lebanese are testing positive, among these is a part of our team. This situation slowed us down, we have to move very carefully and be sensitive to the situation in order to protect ourselves and others. We want to help people and not burden them with an additional crisis. We are asking God for wisdom, to know how to move in this sensitive situation. We know that Satan is attacking and doesn’t want people to receive the message of the gospel, but we will continue to resist him by Putting on the full armor of God so that we can take our stand against his schemes.
Story
We decided to put a tent far away from where all the tents where. The people where so happy, to see us work near their houses, when we were packing to leave at the end of the day, few people came to us and begged us to come every day to the same spot. One of these people who had their hand broken and his shop and house destroyed, was very kind to us. he sat with us started chatting with us, and told us that we can use his washroom, during the conversation we discovered that he came to know Christ through what happened. While talking he said this bible that you are distributing saved me and my family, this bible gave me eternal life. He started talking and telling us how God has been working in his life. He doesn’t go to church. We will try to disciple him and invite him to church when Covid-19 is over.  
Prayer request
1-    Pray for the people of Beirut who have become traumatized.
2-    Pray for fast repairs for the people.
3-    Pray for the preparations that are taking place to establish the future plan.
4-    Pray for the outreach so that God would touch the hearts of people.
5-    Pray for those who tested positive with Covid-19.
6-    Pray for wisdom as we move forward and plan