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The Hope Disaster Cannot Destroy ACN/Ivo Saglietti

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The Hope Disaster Cannot Destroy ACN/Ivo Saglietti LEBANON www.acnuk.org/lebanon The hope disaster cannot destroy Saglietti ACN/Ivo The Melkite Church is providing food for hundreds of Christian refugee families who fled Syria (see over). Life was already hard for Georgette, because it means I can now feed my every day. He has always guided but last August’s explosion in Beirut grandchildren for a month”. me and my family and has sent us left her struggling to make ends meet. ACN has helped people like Georgette, kind people to help us through these Christian grandmother Georgette struggling to get by as Lebanon copes difficult times”. told ACN: “I live in a poor quarter of with a crippling economic crisis and the Through your love, ACN can help the city and our situation is very bad, after-effects of the devastating dock families like Georgette’s. especially after the explosion. I live blast. With Christian emigration there with my three grandchildren... on the rise, ACN has I am responsible for them and I don’t promised more than £4 have anybody to help me, except for million in aid to help give God, and the benefactors of ACN”. the faithful a future in Through the local Church, ACN has their homeland. been providing food packages for Knowing that she is nearly 6,000 families badly affected not alone is absolutely by the catastrophe – and is supporting vital for Georgette, even the rebuilding of churches, convents and more important than other structures badly hit by the blast food aid. She said: “Just (see over). knowing that there are As Georgette filled her bare kitchen people thinking about Georgette’s grandson cupboards, she told us: “I was so us [makes a difference]. helps unpack. delighted to receive this help, I give thanks to God Sister Violette distributing food. Aid to the Helping the suffering Church today Church in Need www.acnuk.org Syria’s refugees – Keeping faith with our promises Saglietti ACN/Ivo ACN/Ivo Saglietti Food is prepared and distributed to families in Lebanon – including refugees from Syria. Labiba lives with her two sisters in a provides a hot meal for around 1,000 Retiring Melkite Archbishop room just 16 feet square. They fled to people – not only Syrian refugees, Issam John Darwish, who set up the Lebanon from Homs in neighbouring but also a growing number of poor programmes, said: “I thank you Syria just two years ago because Lebanese as well. from the bottom of my heart for they were dying of hunger. Hundreds of Christian families who your cooperation, your love – and Like so many Christian refugees, they fled the war in neighbouring Syria are your constant willingness to help. arrived with just the clothes on their being cared for by the Melkite Greek- During this time, I felt that your backs. They are now provided with a Catholic Diocese of Zahlé, with backing heart, mind, and prayer were with hot meal every day by the local Church’s from ACN. Support includes basic me and with every tormented St John the Merciful Table initiative. necessities such as rent, clothing and Eastern Christian. Set up in December 2015, every essential medication, as well as food “Once again I thank you. May the day the St John the Merciful Table from the St John the Merciful Table. Lord bless all ACN’s benefactors.” Rebuilding hope On 4th August 2020, 2,750 tons of – such as the Maronite archdiocesan ammonium nitrate exploded in chancery, the Antonine Sisters’ convent Lebanon’s capital Beirut, causing one and the catechetical centre run by the of the biggest non-nuclear blasts ever Daughters of Charity of St Paul. recorded. At least 200 were killed, We are not just rebuilding Church more than 6,000 were injured and in structures, we are rebuilding hope for excess of 300,000 were left homeless. Lebanon’s Christians. ACN was among the organisations that Beirut Church, Maronite responded quickly, providing help for afflicted families (see story on page 1), and also pledging assistance to rebuild damaged Church properties in the historic Christian quarter, which bore much of the brunt of the explosion. As the blast passed through buildings, it created a vacuum in enclosed spaces so strong that steel doors were ripped off their hinges and roofs imploded. ACN is helping repair churches – including Saint Joseph’s Church and St Volunteers clearing the Maronite Cathedral Father Nicolas, the parish priest of Saint Saviour’s, before repairs began. Beirut, helping out with the repair work for his church. Louis’ Cathedral – and other buildings Aid to the 12-14 Benhill Avenue, Sutton, Surrey SM1 4DA Reports by John Newton Aid to the Church in Need is a Pontifical Foundation of the Catholic Church All photographs by Aid to the Church in Need, except where noted. Church in Need and a registered charity in England and Wales (1097984) and Scotland (SC040748) © Aid to the Church in Need (August 2021) www.acnuk.org Printed by Cliffe Enterprises, Eastbourne BN22 8UY.
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