Lebanon is home to more than half a million refugees from Palestine, Iraq, Sudan and dozens of other countries.
These refugees face challenges and discrimination that make their lives a constant struggle. With increasing tensions in the region, there are concerns that the situation could quickly spiral into public demonstrations and violence on the streets.
The work of Kids Alive International in Lebanon continues, despite the challenges and the latest concerns about unrest. The school and various children’s homes remain committed to care for the children and meet their needs.
The ministry provides care to more than 150 children in Lebanon. In addition to Lebanese orphans, they provide critical support to children from 12 other nationalities. They’re developing their work with refugees and other vulnerable children over the coming year.
Among the outreach arms is Dar El Awlad School, which takes students from kindergarten through sixth grade, both for residential children and as well as for the poor children in the local community. It has eight classrooms, a library and an outdoor playground area.
Every class has a maximum of 10 students, so they each receive plenty of help, care and attention, while children with learning disabilities are provided one-on-one instruction. The walls of Dar El Awlad School are painted bright colors, which is unusual for a Lebanese school.
The school is closely linked to their technology center where children are taught a range of practical skills such as woodworking and mechanics. The school also provides an outlet for artistic creativity.
The Dar el Awlad Photography Club is a group of six residents at a Maytam, a children’s home in the suburbs of Beirut. The children in the club represent a slice of the diversity in Lebanon: Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese.
The club just launched a new photography project. The project and website give the children a chance to express themselves creatively, to share their voices in what they see daily as a child in Lebanon.
This year, six boys representing three nationalities, from grade three to seven, are participating. Each child has a photo gallery page displaying the photos they’ve taken and will also participate on the blog, offering their thoughts and comments on the creative process.
If everything goes well, the final project will be an exhibition at Dar el Awlad sometime in May, showcasing the best photos these talented children have taken.
The images allow the children to process what’s happening in their world and share their perspective in a forum where people stop to listen.
Pray for peace in Lebanon. Pray for the children, staff, and missionaries, that they would remain safe. God’s hand is at work in the children’s lives, so pray that they would know His peace in their hearts, at all times and in all circumstances.
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