Lebanon (MNN) — Syrian refugees already face a huge list of
challenges. Where will they get their food? Where will they sleep during
the winter? How will they provide for their families if they can’t get
jobs? How can the children get an education?
The culminating dark reality of all these issues means hope is
quickly being extinguished in the hearts of these refugees. And without
hope, even the younger generation is contemplating suicide as a way out.
(Photo courtesy of SAT-7)
Financial Policy points out already in 2014, the United Nations
Population Fund found that 41 percent of young refugees had suicidal
urges.
The article also highlights a number of grim patterns that go hand-in-hand with desperation.
Rex Rogers of SAT-7, a Christian satellite television ministry to the Middle East and North Africa, says they see many of these things taking place in refugee camps.
“We’re hearing back about increased suicides, increased sexual
trafficking of young people, girls of course and young women but also
young boys, we’re certainly seeing and hearing about abuse. And aside
from all that, just the tragedy of living under very difficult
circumstances in some of these camps.”
On a basic level, they don’t have enough food or hygienic resources.
Spiritually, mentally and emotionally, things are equally as grim.
“It’s just a difficult life, to understate it tremendously,” Rogers says.
Stretched to the max
Lebanon, in particular, houses a large number of refugees, and they
have scant amount of resources to keep up. As Rogers puts it, the
country is roughly the size of Connecticut and is housing somewhere
around 1.5 million refugees on top of the four million-plus Lebanese.
And as long as despair is rising in these communities, things like suicide, sex-trafficking, and abuse will continue to grow.
The Foreign Policy says refugees are not permitted to get official
jobs, nor are they allowed to build permanent residences. Experts on the
ground believe it will become increasingly unsafe for both the Syrians
and Lebanese.
A lost generation
(Photo courtesy of SAT-7)
One of the biggest problems we’ve seen in refugee camps is the lack
of education. While efforts have been made, there are still millions of
children who are without school.
Rogers says without education, without guidance, and without a
future, these children will be swallowed up and forgotten — a lost
generation.
Last spring, SAT-7 began broadcasting a program called ‘My School’.
It teaches Arabic, English, mathematics, science, and even French in 30
minute segments, three times a day. While they can’t overtly present the
Gospel, Rogers says it’s a big statement that they’re not using the
Koran to teach Arabic. In addition, the classes are taught by Christian
teachers.
“We’re trying to get into the hearts and lives of these young people,
as they say, a potential lost generation. If they grow up without
education, and there’s about 12 million out of school right now or at
risk of being out of school — they are illiterate, they are much more
vulnerable to being radicalized by extremist values and groups, and it’s
a time bomb because it doesn’t take long for children to grow up.”
By their teenage years, these children are at a great risk to join the ranks of terrorist organizations.
In short, education is extremely important.
Humanitarian aid and the Gospel
Without hope, these people are despairing even to the point of
suicide. But Rogers says it’s not as easy as striking up a conversation
with these hurting people to share the hope of the Gospel.
He says it takes time, and it takes effort.
“If a person is starving to death, they can’t focus on someone
talking about hope in Christ and the Gospel. So they do need to be fed,
they need to be clothed, they need to be warmed, they need to have
water.”
In addition, he explains, you have to earn their trust. They’re not coming from a Christian background.
“They’ve been taught all kinds of weird ideas about Christianity and
who Christ is, who Christians are. They may be suspicious about that.”
Satellite dishes. (Photo courtesy of SAT-7)
Helping meet physical needs, including education, is a bridge to have conversations about Jesus and to model Christian values.
“The situation is so dire and there’s so much incredible need that
SAT-7 feels like it’s in a position being a satellite television
broadcaster, that at least we can speak to the masses. Because strangely
and interestingly, in all those refugee camps, there are satellite
dishes and there are TV sets.”
Stepping in
There are numerous ways you can help, regardless of your resources. The first way to help is through prayer.
Pray for SAT-7 and for the people who are on the ground in television
ministry. Pray for the Christian ministries working in these camps to
bring hope and healing. Pray for Lebanon and the other countries housing
refugees. Pray for those suffering in these camps to find hope in
Jesus.
Despite the suffering, Rogers say, “There’s a hunger. There’s a
hunger for a God who cares, love and reconciliation, there’s hunger for a
religion that works, and of course Christ and Christianity is all of
that.”
To support SAT-7 financially, click here.
Source: Mission Network
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