The Church in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley is allowing the thriving, despite the ongoing armed conflict and economic instability. Christian families and individuals are offering a powerful witness by looking after those displaced by the war. New religious congregations are also on the rise, helping to keep the Faith alive in Christianity’s heartland in the Middle East.
The Beqaa Valley, known as Lebanon’s breadbasket, has been hit hard by regional tensions. While Hezbollah strongholds in Shia-majority areas have been heavily targeted, Christian villages have largely remained untouched by direct conflict. Many local residents like Naddaf, a Christian widow in her 70s, have risked their own safety to help others.
Christian compassion shining in the darkness
Representatives of Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) have visited Naddaf and others in her situation around the Beqaa Valley. Seated next to an icon of St Charbel in her living-room during the visit, Naddaf recalled what happened last October: “One day a car parked just outside in the street. Then another car arrived, followed by another.”
Naddaf welcomed three displaced Shia Muslim families – 12 people in total – into her modest home, feeding them, clothing them and giving them a place to sleep for two months. A pregnant woman gave birth during that time, bringing the number of guests to 13.
She had no way of knowing who these people were. When asked if she had been afraid to share her home with so many strangers, she simply said: “I did what Christ asked me to do,” adding, “the courage came from the Virgin Mary.”
ACN helped Naddaf and other Christians in the region to bring God’s mercy to those in need by providing emergency food aid and hygiene kits.
The Church continues to witness to hope
Throughout the Beqaa Valley, signs of hope, resilience and renewal are emerging. In the heart of the valley, the Brothers of Beit Maroun, a Maronite Catholic monastic community founded just five years ago, is experiencing remarkable growth. The 23 monks – most in their 20s and 30s – built their entire monastery and church with their own hands, with minimal outside help.
Two of the monks were born in Sydney, Australia to Lebanese parents. Unrelated to one another, Brother John Maroun and Brother John Paul returned to their ancestral homeland in response to a spiritual calling. Their decision defies the tide of emigration among Lebanese youth.
ACN has supported the formation of the Brothers of Beit Maroun and continues to back a range of initiatives aimed at strengthening Christian presence in the Middle East.
Catholic education promoting peace
The charity’s representatives also visited the convent of the Sisters of Jesus Abandoned, a religious congregation founded in 2011. The sisters teach in Catholic schools in predominantly Shia areas, offering catechesis to Christian pupils and lessons in ethics to Muslim children.
Sister Maggie revealed that “many Muslim families choose Catholic schools for their children because of the academic excellence and moral values they offer”. The sisters’ commitment to education helps to build bridges, fostering peace and understanding between different religious communities.
Amid the ongoing armed conflict and economic hardship, ACN’s help is a lifeline to the Church in Lebanon. In addition to emergency aid and formation support for priests and religious, the charity is also providing assistance for Catholic schools, scholarships for Christian students and essential medicine for the elderly.
By Amy Balong.
