An update on Lebanon 2020

Tuesday 1 December

The Cathedral community continues with the campaign to help bring the touch of Christ to Lebanon in three ways.

1. The physical touch of Christ to broken and dispossessed people through our financial support of relief projects in Beirut through Embrace the Middle East.

Donations of around £500 so far have just been substantially magnified by the Cathedral Community Forum committing this year’s charitable giving to Embrace and its Christian partners on the ground in Beirut. More people, many refugees, still enduring the after effects of the explosion and infrastructure collapse in the city will be fed, clothed, housed, educated and cared for because of your gifts.

Watch out for news of a new major new contributor early next year. And as soon as it is possible to plan such things we have been gifted a series of not one but four fundraising concerts by an internationally renowned pianist and conductor in support of this beautiful but broken country.

To give direct to the Embrace Christmas Appeal please see https://www.embraceme.org/Naseem or you can give through the cathedral if you mark your gift “Lebanon”

2. The heart-touch of Christ for those whose hearts are broken and who need to know His love and solidarity through ours.

By talking and praying about Lebanon and the Middle East. Today watch this three minute video, voiced by Cate Blanchett to remember why we need to keep talking about this.

https://www.the961.com/nadine-labaki-video-beirut-blast/amp/

3. The healing touch of Christ on the very soul of Lebanon

Cedar tree You may remember that our campaign to give away seedlings of Cedar of Lebanon arose from an unnerving challenge to act to ‘enable’ God to act decisively to change the situation in Lebanon and the Middle East. We did not understand it then and still do not but continue to do as we think we are asked to do. To date almost 40 trees have been given and received as symbols of the restoration, peace and spiritual health of Lebanon with a few waiting for the end of lockdown to go to their new homes. If you would like a tree for your garden, park or churchyard and will pray for Lebanon please be in touch.

Is it working? Last month Lebanon took legal steps to abolish a bondage system for domestic workers, which many have likened to slavery. This is an enormous step forward for the rights of some of the most vulnerable people in that society and a major score for the soul of the nation. Did it have anything to do with our cedars? Only God knows that but the Lebanese government had kicked the issue into the long grass many times and the timing in relation to our cedars is certainly interesting. Let’s keep watching, praying and hoping- and giving away trees.