Refugee Appeal - January 2022 Update

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
Matthew 25:40

It is not in the news much these days, but it is a significant part of the ministry we do, especially in places like Jordan, Lebanon, and South Sudan. And we do it with your help, my friends. There are currently more than 80 million displaced people around the world – that means one out of every 97 people – and more than 40% are children. This desperate situation is compounded by the pandemic as well as by the economic disasters of host countries, such as is in Lebanon.

Partnership, Projects, Middle EastThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 31, 2022Refugee Appeal, Together for the Family, Lebanon

Refugee Appeal - August 2021

Misery “by the numbers”

In this broken world, 1 out of every 95 people has been forced to flee their home---and many cannot go back. Let that sink in….

In round numbers, lives displaced by manmade disasters (like war) or natural ones (like volcanoes) are 82.4 million: that is slightly less than the entire population of Germany…. or more than 4 times the population of the Netherlands. Need to bring that a bit closer to home? Think the citizens of California + Texas + Ohio running for their lives.

Some flee to other parts of their own country---we call them “displaced.” If they cross borders, they become “refugees.” Within both groups, 50% are children.

Together for the Family - June 2021 Update

Fresh. It is a word we hear on a daily basis on our travels around Lebanon and in our visits with Outreach partners here. It modifies the word “money.” Fresh money. It is the money that comes to you after the economic crisis began in Lebanon many months ago. If you want old money, the money you deposited and saved in your bank account, you will be found at a loss. Dollars in the bank are restricted for withdrawals, and if you do withdraw them, you will get back the Lebanese equivalent at the old rate, thereby losing up to 90% of their value. Fresh money, especially for an NGO like many of the partners here, becomes a new lifeline.

Not wanting to dwell in such a hard place, let us make a list of the more joyful ways we think of for the word fresh, and I think in the listing you will discover what we found: God is still making all things new – fresh.

Refugee Appeal - February 2021 Update

…as you have done it for the least of these, you have done it for me…

Since December of 2015, The Outreach Foundation has been a partner with a “hands-on” outreach in Lebanon that helps Syrian refugee mothers care for their newborns. Together, For the Family (TFF), led by its Executive Director, Izdihar Kassis, started this ministry upon realizing the dire need of parents to care for their newborn babies while living in tent camps.

Izdihar shares this reflection:

The poor living conditions and the inability of the parents to provide basic necessities for their newborn babies motivated us to address this matter.

Refugee Appeal - December 2020 Update

…an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. Mathew 2:13

With a global pandemic raging, they no longer get front-page billing. But in this Christmas season, it is well worth remembering that the Babe born in Bethlehem was one, for a time: a refugee.

These refugees whom The Outreach Foundation has served since 2012 and whom you have supported, came into Lebanon from Syria during the long war and from Iraq, beginning in 2014 because of ISIS. They have been cared for by our partners in tender, life-giving ways. Here is one of their stories…

Refugee Appeal - February 2020 Update

Our Lady Dispensary (OLD) is located in a densely packed, lower-middle-class Christian area of Beirut. A ministry of the Middle East Council of Churches, OLD serves over 1,000 families – Iraqi Christians and Syrian Muslims – who need food, medicines, help to pay rent, and trauma healing for their children. They fled their countries during war and upheaval. Some want to go back but their homes or livelihoods were destroyed. Most of them hope to be resettled in Europe, Canada or Australia but those U.N. initiatives have slowed down.

As Christmas approached, your generous gifts once again allowed OLD to provide a glimmer of joy to families who had lost much. Rather than “just hand out” much-needed clothing and warm winter outerwear, OLD arranged with a local department store to allow their clients to shop with vouchers, so THEY could pick out what they needed, affording a bit of choice and dignity. Let me introduce you to a few of those whom you helped…

Middle East, Partnership, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 27, 2020Refugee IDP Appeal, Refugee Appeal, Middle East

Partner Updates

Misery “by the numbers”