Lebanon

Now, let's talk a little bit about Lebanon.
Lebanon is a small but complicated country.
Lebanon's population estimates tell us there would be
around 4,3 million Lebanese citizens in Lebanon,
and more than 16 million Lebanese living around the world.
Lebanon is home to about 400 thousand Palestinian refugees,
living in 12 different refugee camps within Lebanon.
Lebanon is home to people belonging to 17 confessions.
If we were to divide the population between the 5 main
confession groups, the result would be something like this:
35% of the population belongs to one of the numerous
Christian denominations (mainly constituted of Maronites,
Catholics and Orthodox). 35% would be Shi'i Muslims,
25% Sunni Muslims and 5% Druzes ( a religion that includes
beliefs in reincarnation).
Lebanon has been a shelter for many Kurds and Armenians
who came to escape genocide, and has also been a shelter
for many religious minorities as well.
All these people live in a land measuring 10.452 km2 and
that comprises very different climates and geographies very close
to each other such as coastline on the Mediterranean,
green forests of pine trees and cedars, high plateau, semi deserted
mountains and valleys, many lakes and rivers, as well as ski slopes
when there's snow in the winter, big cities and remote countryside.
For many reasons, many countries in the world have interests in Lebanon,
and this has led to several wars including the civil war from 1975-90,
that left Israel occupying southern Lebanon until the year 2000
and Syrian troops posted in the country until 2005.
In 2006 Israel attacked Lebanon.
The Israeli army destroyed every single road, bridge, power plant, radio station, television channel, or telephone antenna, and left the country about one month later with more than one million displaced, many civilian casualties and an oil spill touching the whole coastline as well as hundreds of thousands of cluster munitions using phosphor and mines.
Today, Lebanon's political situation is stuck to the point where there hasn't been a president for almost 2 months, and bombs regularly explode without anyone knowing for sure who's responsible, killing innocents in the streets as well as political personalities.
If I mention these things it is in no way to start speaking about politics, but only in order for you to realize that God allowed certain things to happen, and that all works for the good of those who love Him.
Since I've moved there what I've seen is an entire people without any hope.
Sure, speaking about God in Lebanon is challenge, because here, political parties try to legitimate themselves as ambassadors for the religious communities, as a result, the 15 yrs long civil war saw people killing each other because of the religious community they belonged to.
This and the fact that generally whether for Christians, Muslims or Jews, conversion is something that is not understood at best and not acceptable at worst, makes it quite a challenge to start and speak in a frontal way about God.
As a result, the average Lebanese in his faith is some kind of hippie, preaching tolerance, but once it comes to marriage or any public big decision, religious structures can prove quite strong.
However, after a few months living there, some people started to open up and to want to talk about their deep desires, and fears, and to discuss about God because they started trusting me from what they saw of my life.
This is a big step because in the Lebanese culture, speaking of anything deep and personal, if it's not something cheerful is considered as something bad.
It's a modest beginning but God has been more than faithful in bringing me to speak with several persons and give testimony.
I don't know what God wants to do with me here, but I know I'm in the right place, because God loves the Lebanese people just as much as any human being, and they need Him more than ever.
I am convinced prayer is the most powerful weapon we have.
If you'd like to pray for Lebanon, pray for people's hearts to be touched,
pray for opportunities to meet new people who hunger for God,
and also pray for peace as well as for the Lebanese authorities to find wisdom
in their leadership.


Who am I? I would love to give you all my name but given the circumstances, and the content of this blog, I just feel it would be wiser to give a screen name that is different from my actual name. Knowing you'll understand,
http://www.7ubballah.blogspot.com/


I have been a believer now for almost four years. I got saved in the Geneva GGWO church in Switzerland. I am currently completing my bachelor's degree in the university in Beirut, which turns out to be my country through my mother who was born here and lived here until the outbreak of the civil war in 75. I came to Lebanon because God answered my prayers and gave me a real burden for the Middle East. Something had really been tugging on my heart for a while when Israel attacked Lebanon last year and all my family was there, even those who usually live abroad. At that time, I put a flag up on the wall of our living-room and started praying for God to spare my country. Then, a few months later I was landing in Beirut.