The Crisis of the Refugees in Lebanon
Andres Porras, a La Salle Brother, who works in the Project Fratelli in Lebanon together with Miguel Cubeles a Marist Brother, describes the present situation of the Project in a recent letter to his Congregation.
There is also a group of young religious that invites to prayer for the Refugees in this PDF (Spanish).
Below one can read the letter of Br. Andrés
Dear Brothers,
Regarding ourselves, Brother Miguel a Marist Brother and I, Andres, a La Salle Brother, are in Lebanon, working in two socio-educational centers in which a group of teachers give the scholastic basis to the pupils to make them apt to go, for the first time, or to re-integrate themselves in school. One Center is in Beirut with 65 children the majority of Iraqi origin, and the other one in Saida (the Biblical Sidon) with a group of 120 children the majority Syrian. We also take care of Lebanese and Palestinian children in need. We have begun a Project of Professional Formation for 10 young people who at present receive classes of English and a course of manicure and podiatry for 11 mothers of our pupils. All this is done with the intention of drawing them near to the Center and be able to offer integral formation to the family also. In fact, we have already led a first group of 31 children to the official school, which is one of our principal objectives.
Independently of the numbers, which are few in comparison with the large number of persons who need help, the work which God has wanted to implement in Lebanon is advancing firmly and more rapidly than we expected. We also know that one life is worth everything, and if we had helped only one child the work and the effort done would have been worthwhile. But we do not want to be satisfied with this, and we will go farther, as much as we can as is possible. Within this achievement is also the nearness and inter-relationship that have been favored not only between the La Salle and Marist Communities but also among the young people in our schools and the reality of the children and their families that have fled from the war. We have a large number of volunteers and groups that help us in many ways: teachers, Brothers, scouts, families, Lay and Religious Associations (Christian and Muslim)… All this makes us touch and feel the greatness and goodness of God.
The hand of Providence is evident and we see how, when it is a question of taking care of the more urgent needs, God does not resist acting efficaciously. The weakness of God is prayer, and more when there are so many persons who pray interceding for those in greater need. The children, the young people and adults who arrive here happy, leave even happier, with renewed hope, when they receive affection and unconditional treatment.
May the “small great response” that we try to give to this reality, moves us all to act according to the will of God there where we live our Mission, knowing that we only do “what we have to do… we are only useless servants” (Lk 17, 7-10), in the service of our Lord and Master. That Master – Jesus – who loves us so much and blesses us and allows us to help Him in His Work, in which his parameter was and continues to be the most needy, in a special way.
If you would like to accompany us, especially to offer your prayer and intentions, you can follow some of our activities in: www.facebook.com/FratelliLibano, https://twitter.com/FratelliLibano and www.youtube.com/c/FratelliLibano.
Mary, Queen of Peace, save our world! Give us patience, but hurry up! Do not delay, because they are many those who suffer…
United in prayer, May God bless us all,
We embrace you with affection
Br. Andre´s Porras FSC