Report from BHW Lebanon Partnership Facilitator

Recent Events

Activities

In the past year Together for the Family has worked with 88 different families (babies) in three different areas throughout the Bekaa Valley. They have had meetings with the mothers to equip them with the right information they need for taking care of the babies, distributing milk bottles, baby clothes and cloth diapers. 

Most of the women that have been helped had only one child between the age of 6-12 months. Most of the women were given vitamins and cash so they could buy milk or formula. Many of the women are unregistered refugees and know very little about the law and legal expectations. It is important they are taught some of this so their children can get birth certificates and other legal documents. Many have been helped to fill out application forms.

During the past 6 months TFF has been able to, with the help of generous donors, purchase a large property to use as a base of operations. This has been a huge blessing to the work as it was always difficult operating on several different rented properties. 

In July 2021 BHW contributed US$2,000 towards a solar lighting system. This has been purchased and installed and is operating well. More information about this is coming soon in a general newsletter and an update will be uploaded. 

Personal Stories

Amina is a 22-year-old Syrian girl in Lebanon who was forced to get married five years ago to her cousin. It was an arranged marriage for financial reasons. Her parents were in debt, and they felt that getting her to marry was the solution to their problems. This killed her from the inside. Amina could not handle getting married at 16, her body wasn’t prepared enough for that. Her first-born child was sick from birth and needed continuous medication until he died at the age of three due to the lack of blood in his body the doctor wrote.

There was nothing they could do because of a lack of money or insurance. In the same year, the husband forced her to get pregnant again and at the age of 20, Amina had twins. One of them died during pregnancy and the other was born with leukaemia problems. He is being treated casually when they have some money, but not always. The child is now 18 months old and needs lots of help to stay alive. TFF is trying their best to help, providing her with some vitamins, medicine, and milk, but still the child needs surgery that cannot be afforded.

Partnership's Influence within the Community

It is a blessing for them to be able to help these people in need and they are excited that God has blessed them with this property. However, the ministry is getting bigger, and they are assisting more people as they are able to afford. There are more students, more babies to help, and more people getting the skills they need to help them sustain their families and obtain employment.

Plans for the Future

After moving to the new centre, they have started working with around 210 new families with at least five children each. All of their ministries have been shifted to the new location. The first event at the new Family Oasis Centre will take place on the 14th of May with around 40 new mothers.

Current Issues and Challenges 

The number of people in need is really high, beyond the current ability of TFF to help them all. They would like to be able to help more. 

There is a great lack of knowledge and education among the new women they are working with, and it is a challenge to make sure that what they are teaching is understood and doesn't get wasted.

The economic situation in Lebanon is not getting any better and milk and other basics they distribute for the mothers is hard to find, especially in bulk quantities. This is why they are giving the women cash to buy their own milk.

Prayer and Praise Points

1) They ask first for prayer for their country Lebanon, it is in serious trouble. The country is facing a lot of challenges and is in need of a lot of prayer. The economic, social and health situation is bad but thankfully, they still continue to have the ability to proceed freely with the ministry.
2) Praise God who provided them the new space and opportunity to help people and enable them to know the love of Christ.
3) Elections are coming up and they are worried that something could go wrong.
4) They also ask for prayer for the staff and volunteers who are putting all their effort to make this ministry/dream succeed.
5) They are very thankful that friends from the USA provided them in April with 300 powdered milk packs and some vitamins to be distributed to the women. This was a real blessing. 

Comments

This is a very good partnership and I suggest we should increase support. This has just been done with a 20% increase from August 2022.