God is at Work!
Lebanon’s Situation Update
Ever since October 2019, throughout the massive explosion in August 2020, and until today, the economic situation in Lebanon continues to deteriorate drastically every day, paralyzing the whole country.
The prices of some basic food items have radically increased as much as 300 percent over the past year and have soared in the last month of Ramadan! Today, $1 is equivalent to 12,500 LBP at market rate, when it was 1,500 LBP in September 2019.
Most of the population are struggling to provide their basic needs, food, fuel for their cars, clothing, education…Some items are not even available anymore in the market. And the politicians are failing to form a government which makes things more unstable and causing more chaos.
Additionally, all this uncertainty, loss, pain, and hopelessness, is driving many young and educated families and individuals to give up and emigrate. We are now seeing the biggest Christian exodus since the Lebanese civil war that started in 1975.
As for the Covid-19 crisis, restrictions and lockdown have decreased somehow although only 1.5 percent of the total Lebanese population are partially vaccinated and 0.3 percent fully vaccinated. However, people can not afford to stay home anymore. Some have expressed that they would rather get Covid-19 than die from hunger.
Impact on the Church
Church leaders are encountering many difficult situations with members of their churches. Many people are unable to pay rent, utility bills, basic daily needs as well as put food on the table. One couple shared that within 24 hours of the wife losing her job, her husband was told he will be laid off too. One pastor reported that someone in his church said he would have to sell a kidney to be able to provide for his family. Pastors are facing daily requests for financial assistance from desperate people in the community.
Opportunity of the Church
In the midst of all this hurt and uncertainty, God is still working. And the Church continues to be present on the front lines sharing God’s love, serving each other like Jesus, and witnessing the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those they encounter.
As we serve the community in a holistic way, through relief programs, medical care, counselling & family therapy, spiritual & social encouragement, guidance and leadership development, and intentional discipleship, we are seeing many people open to the Gospel, many are seeking God truthfully, and a good number of people are making intentional decisions to follow Christ.
In the last 3 months, more than 450 new families have joined the church, all from a Muslim background.
58 believers were baptized in April and many more are being discipled.
Last week, we opened a new church plant space to be able to serve more than 700 families in the community there.
We are seeing a new movement of God’s spirit starting to work mightily in the midst of the Lebanese community as well. Many families who have never considered coming to church are now seeking God more and are thirsty for the Gospel.
10 new emerging leaders are currently pastoring their growing faith communities in different areas of the city and its districts.
There are new church plants in Mount Lebanon, in the Sidon (south), and in the North of Lebanon in addition to many new emerging Life Groups in the city.
God is at work! And we are trying our best to follow Him.
Join us for prayer
In light of this extremely difficult situation in Lebanon and the work that God is doing through His body, we would love you to join us in prayer:
• Pray that the health, economic, and political crises would be resolved fairly and without any bloodshed. Lebanon is a very fractured country and tensions are rising significantly, but to date, there has been a very small amount of fatalities.
• Pray for churches to be equipped to care for the needy and to share the message of hope only found in Jesus Christ. Pastors are being called upon, daily, for help.
• This weekend RCB will restart its services on all its campuses. There will be 19 different meetings throughout the week. The number of people who want to attend in person, is increasing, and due to Covid restrictions, these many meetings are set to be able to keep social distancing. Please pray for strength and guidance for all the pastors and tribe leaders who are heavily involved in order to restart the services.
Hikmat and Krista Kashouh
RCB Church Beirut
Hikmat and Krista are supported by Harvey Rigby's home group and Matthew and Fiona Gregson's home group.
