Information
provided by ACT member Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).
General information:
The Middle East
Council of Churches in an update to its supporters and partners around
the world, reports that many people in Lebanon are grappling with
the question of whether there will be a cease-fire or not, as Lebanon
experiences the 23rd day of being under bombardment.
Lebanon is facing
a serious crisis, as fuel stocks dwindle, and electricity and water
become scarce commodities.
Assistance
provided by ACT-MECC's Inter-church Network for Development and Relief
(ICNDR):
From August 1
to August 2, ACT-MECC/ICNDR distributed the following food and non-food
parcels in the south:
40 Parcels to
Kfar Jarra Municipality
60 Parcels
to Mashmoushe Convent
25 Parcels
to Foyer de la Providence, Salhie
25 Parcels
to Bkassine Municipality
50 Parcels
to Jezzine Municipality
25 Parcels
to Development for People & Nature Association (DPNA), Sidon
A further 286
parcels were distributed to church-related schools where displaced
families (the majority of whom are Shiite) have sought shelter:
40 Parcels to
the Armenian Evangelical School
63 Parcels
to the School of the National Evangelical Church of Beirut
118 Parcels
to Najde Organization – Mrouj/ El Metn
55 Parcels
to Saint Vincent de Paul School - Clemenceau
10 Parcels
to Evangelical Synod (Al Hammar Center) – Zahle
In addition, 100,000
liters of water went to two schools in Achrafieh, in Beirut.
Coordination
and other areas of work by MECC:
MECC's Emergency
Committee has had several meetings with staff of ACT member Norwegian
Church Aid, and the ACT Coordination Assessment Team.
MECC attended
two meetings on August 2 with the Lebanese Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora,
along with other NGOs to coordinate efforts with the High Relief Committee
(HRC) and the Ministries of Social Affairs, Education and Health.
In Syria, 120
food parcels were distributed through the Aleppo Governorate responsible
for displaced Lebanese people who have sought refuge in Aleppo. This
is a joint effort between MECC's liaison office in Aleppo and ACT
member Hungarian Interchurch Aid.
The general secretary
of MECC, Mr Guirgis Saleh also reported that on Tuesday, August 1,
the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerke convened a 'Religious Summit',
at which Lebanese Muslim & Christian religious leaders assembled
to discuss the situation in Lebanon. They condemned the Israeli offensive,
registered their support to the displaced population and confirmed
the importance of preserving national unity during catastrophic crisis.
They also adopted the Lebanese Government’s seven-point proposal to
end the war.
