Before the ceasefire last year, 800,000 Lebanese people were displaced to areas that are considered safer.

If attacks happen, people will be internally displaced this year, too.

Camille Melki with Heart for Lebanon says that southern Lebanon has “a very damp winter, (with) a lot of rain. Most of those families live in tent settlements or in makeshift homes, where it is very moist, and water gets into the house.”

At high elevations in the Beqaa Valley, many refugees and locals live in cold areas that will receive significant snow.

(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

“Our team at Heart for Lebanon provides blankets, heavy coats, mittens, gloves, hats, anything that can help a family survive the harsh months,” Melki says.

Melki says, “If people flee and are living in the open air or in tents, that would significantly increase the risks (and) health hazards of being affected by the weather, as much as by the wars.”

Please join Heart for Lebanon in praying for peace as they work to fulfill needs this winter. Pray that needs will not become extreme.

“Everything we do, we give out, is given out and done unconditionally, but we also want to make sure that people who receive our aid know what drives us, what motivates us, what excites us, what takes us into the places that are hard and difficult to be in during conflicts,” Melki says. “Nothing motivates us except the compassionate heart of Jesus Christ towards those who are suffering the most.”

Please pray that this winter ministry will show the compassionate heart of Jesus Christ. Pray that it will lead to simple conversations that can turn into gospel conversations and will reach people who do not yet know God.

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

“One of the most important points of ending the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel is for Hezbollah to turn its arms to the Lebanese army,” says Camille Melki with Heart for Lebanon. 

Yet this has not happened. The Lebanese government has pledged to disarm the militant group by the end of the year, but Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has publicly restated that they will not lay down their arms.

“The agreement says the entire nation of Lebanon should be free of Hezbollah arms — in fact, free of any militant arms, and the Lebanese army should be the only one carrying weapons,” says Melki. “Whereas Hezbollah’s argument is [that] only in a part of southern Lebanon [do] they need to be disarmed.’ That works against the agreement.”

H.E. General Joseph Aoun, President of the Republic of Lebanon, right, and Dubravka Šuica, center, during a meeting in Baabda, Lebanon February 2025. (Photo and caption by © European Union, 2025, CC BY 4.0. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Meanwhile, Israel continues near-daily airstrikes in Lebanon against Hezbollah targets, which Hezbollah and Lebanese authorities call another violation of the ceasefire agreement. Israel considers it self-defense against Hezbollah activities.

Israel isn’t the only one with misgivings about Lebanon’s ability to disarm Hezbollah in the next month and a half. 

“All indications point to the lack of possibility to meet that deadline,” says Melki, “and that scares all of us in Lebanon.” 

They see that if Lebanon’s army doesn’t succeed, Israel’s targeted airstrikes could become something more. 

“Here we have to differentiate: Israel’s conflict is with Hezbollah, not with the nation of Lebanon. But we can all be drawn into the major conflict and major war,” Melki says. “That would affect at least all the citizens of southern Lebanon, regardless of their faith background, ethnic background, and political affiliation — pro- or against Hezbollah.”

As a gospel-centered humanitarian agency, Heart for Lebanon has a front-row seat to what Lebanese citizens and the refugee population are going through. Melki says they recently had 46 baptisms, indicating that people are searching for the truth.

“They’re seeking answers for their pain and suffering. They’re wondering what else can be done in order to prevent another disaster. And whom to trust? They have lost trust in the earthly leaders and their spiritual leaders. Muslim Sunni, Muslim Shia, Alawites, Kurds, people of all faiths who are now seeking the truth,” says Melki. 

“There is no truth but in Christ, and our job is to point them to Jesus our Savior.” 

Please pray for God’s mercy and for true peace in Christ to come to Lebanon. Learn more about Heart for Lebanon’s ministry here. 

Header photo courtesy of Beirut, Lebanon courtesy of Jo Kassis/Pexels.

Near the biblical city of Sidon, Christians are building a new ministry center to serve local Lebanese in a predominantly Muslim area.

Camille Melki of Heart for Lebanon says, “For the first time in modern Lebanese history, a Christian community is buying property from Muslims to build a church on it!”

Sidon Sea Castle, Lebanon (Photo courtesy of Haytham Dalank via Usplash)

In an area largely populated by Shia and Sunni Muslims, this development became possible only after nearly 20 years of consistent presence, practical help, and genuine love. Over time, the ministry earned the community’s trust.

“How did we get to purchase a property from a Muslim community? Right now, my only answer is by God’s grace,” adds Melki.

The Hope Ministry Center stands in southern Lebanon, a region home to many refugees and displaced families. Despite the ceasefire, drones still buzz overhead as Hezbollah activity continues. Years of conflict with Israel, coupled with the nation’s economic collapse, have left parents unable to educate their children and businesses struggling to survive.

“A lot of the problems that this country has been experiencing are because it is spiritually poor, where the Gospel is not reaching the masses,” Melki explains.

But change is happening!

Lebanese children (photo courtesy of Hussein Haidar Salman via Pexels)

Alongside biblical teaching, the Hope Ministry Center takes a holistic approach — offering education, healthcare, and discipleship training.

The Hope Ministry Center will provide education for children and adults, along with a sanctuary for Arabic- and Kurdish-speaking congregations, a leadership training hub, a safe playground, and medical clinics meeting physical needs while pointing people to spiritual hope.

Each weekend, over eight hundred people already join the ministry’s spiritual programs. “This new Ministry Center,” says Melki, “will add at least 30 to 40 percent capacity, and so we can imagine how many more people will be blessed.”

It’s a season of transformation, as the Gospel brings hope to weary hearts across Lebanon. Pray for Heart for Lebanon as they continue to demonstrate Christ’s love in practical ways. Ask God to make local churches grow and multiply with joy, despite hardship.

“We’re so grateful for what God has done in our midst, and by faith we look for amazing things this center will accomplish, all by God’s goodness and provision,” Melki says.

Representative header photo: Lala, Lebanon (photo courtesy of Ibrahim Zada via Unsplash).

Nearly a year has passed since the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, yet residents in the south continue to hear drones overhead. The situation draws attention as the world watches the current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Camille Melki from Heart for Lebanon says, “What has stopped are the major military campaigns, but Israel keeps watching and observing the traffic, the behavior, the movement of Hezbollah.”

When Israel detects activity, it strikes, destroying Hezbollah posts. Civilians are often caught in the crossfire. Some villages remain in ruins while the rest of the country rebuilds.

“Every day, the drones — Israeli drones — fly over Lebanon,” Melki says. “On a daily basis, there have been strikes against Hezbollah military posts or against Israel.”

Bint Jbeil Road, Lebanon (Photo courtesy of Ahmad Bader via Unsplash)

Yet in areas untouched by conflict, peace is slowly returning. Most Lebanese are back to their daily lives. Schools are open, and businesses are running. Except in the villages along the Israeli-Lebanese border, life is back to normal.

“People are hoping and really looking forward to the day when Hezbollah will be completely disarmed,” he adds.

Heart for Lebanon is building its new center just south of Sidon — a biblical, coastal city largely spared from recent fighting. It’s an area that was predominantly used to welcome and host internally displaced families and people in great need.

The new center reflects a long-term commitment. Melki explains, “This is our opportunity to demonstrate the Gospel at its best in front of the people who need the most.”

Food aid distribution
(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

As construction begins on the Hope Ministry Center, the message to the people of southern Lebanon is clear — Heart for Lebanon isn’t going anywhere. They’re planting roots, choosing to walk alongside communities for the long haul, bringing consistent love, care, and the hope of Christ.

“We are here as a community of faith that wants to both proclaim the Gospel and demonstrate the Gospel to people — addressing fundamental issues of faith and reaching those from very authentic backgrounds,” Melki says.

Pray for Lebanese communities affected by ongoing tensions. Visit Heart for Lebanon to see how Christ’s love continues to transform lives and bring hope to the region.

Header photo: Lebanese crowd (Photo courtesy of Mohamad Mekawi via Pexels).

Meanwhile, the people wait in limbo. Heart for Lebanon’s Camille Melki says, “The majority of those (people) are living now in makeshift homes still in southern Lebanon, waiting for their towns and villages to be rebuilt.”

Lebanon’s Next Generation is especially at risk. Roughly half of Lebanon’s public schools were converted into shelters at the end of 2024 due to the war between Hezbollah and Israel.

“A lot of children count on ministries to provide aid to survive the hardship or education, and Heart for Lebanon provides both,” Melki says.

“We provide fun activities and educational material, and we help children deal with trauma, fears, and challenges.”

Heart for Lebanon’s holistic approach to education turns despair into hope. Learn more about that here.

“We offer counseling support, spiritual support, and we are always ready to answer this ‘Why?’ question: Why do you care? Why do you provide this aid for us? Why are you still working in southern Lebanon, where most agencies have left?” Melki says.

“The answer is always, ‘We are here to show you the love of Jesus Christ in meaningful and tangible ways.’”

(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

Classroom lessons, chapel sessions, and afternoon Bible studies point to Christ, while the playground provides opportunities for children to live out what they’ve learned.

“We build biblical stories into our curriculum to address many character traits that we find in Scripture, such as forgiveness, encouragement, generosity, fairness, and equality,” Melki says.

“We also have fun activities geared toward using games and fun in a way that honors Christ,” he continues, “so even as children are playing in the playground or participating in a sports activity, we use the character traits to emphasize proper behaviors, like attitude towards others, winning or losing, and to play fair and have fun.”

Find out how you can partner with Heart for Lebanon here.

“Pray for the students we serve. Pray for their families, because the challenges are huge and prayers are essential for us,” Melki says.

“Also, you can sponsor a student and help provide financial support to our schools in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa, or our scholarship program.”

Header and story images courtesy of Heart for Lebanon.

Lebanon’s Minister of Education recently announced that, instead of a standard five days of school a week, government schools will be open four days a week.

Instead of raising salaries for teachers, teachers in the country are now supposed to teach only four days so that they can find another part-time job on Fridays.

As private schools continue to teach five days a week, there is a deficiency in the education of students in public schools.

In southern Lebanon, the war that Hezbollah started with Israel is wreaking havoc. The six months of severe shelling that occurred last year have left villages destroyed and cities wiped out.

Many schools, both private and government, remain demolished, meaning that many in the south will go without opportunities for education for the second year in a row.

Camille Melki with Heart for Lebanon says that private schools are now carrying the brunt of the work because government schools are not operating properly. However, because of the economy, private schools have been forced to raise their tuition costs by 30 to 60 percent compared to last year.

This economic crisis affects not only Lebanese nationals but also Syrian refugees living in the country.

“Most international donor agencies stopped providing aid in June,” says Melki. “(They) have said there will be no medical support or educational support for refugees who are living in Lebanon anymore. The little aid that the UN and large government agencies were providing to the refugees has stopped.”

Heart for Lebanon will provide education support to 1,300 families this school year.

Six hundred of these students will study in one of Heart for Lebanon’s two schools in the Bekaa Valley or in southern Lebanon, receiving free education. These are students who would not otherwise have an opportunity to study anywhere else.

The other 700 students will receive scholarship support to attend other schools in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon. These are partner Christian schools for families that can afford some, but not all, tuition expenses.

600 students will attend one of Heart for Lebanon’s schools this year. (Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

“It’s our opportunity at Heart for Lebanon to stand in the gap, provide the proper academic education that students need, but also provide a holistic approach to a child’s spiritual, social, and emotional upbringing,” says Melki.

Between the death and destruction in Syria and Lebanon, most of the children that Heart for Lebanon provides education for have experienced trauma.

“We’re providing a safe environment where teachers are loving and caring for, supporting, and encouraging students; providing social care, and emotional care, but first and foremost, also providing spiritual care to the students and to their families,” says Melki.

Please pray for the education system in Lebanon and for the students who will be ministered to through these schools this year.

(Header photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon) 

Camille Melki with Heart for Lebanon said the lack of accountability makes the pain worse.

“Here we are, five years later, and we still don’t know what caused it. Why [were] those ammonium nitrate [containers] in 3,000 tons stored at the port of Beirut? What ignited this incident?” he said.

Heart for Lebanon workers help clean up in the aftermath of the 2020 port explosion in Beirut.
(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

A full investigation has faced numerous roadblocks and years-long delays from Lebanese officials. It is underway again as of early 2025.

Yet though justice is right to pursue, true hope for Lebanon doesn’t depend on that justice. That’s what Melki’s then 79-year-old mother showed after the explosion. 

When his mother entered her ruined home for the first time, Melki could see she was deeply distressed. She and his father had rebuilt their business seven times during Lebanon’s civil war and their home three times. This was another trial. 

“Then I see Mom walking towards her piano, clean up the debris off her piano and start playing,” Melki said. 

A video of her playing “Auld Lang Syne” in her shattered living room went viral. It led to TV interviews where Melki’s mother shared that her strength and hope come from Christ alone. 

“Five years later, every time my mom walks down the street, somebody want[s] to greet her and ask her to ‘keep playing the piano,’” Melki said. 

Hope is what Heart for Lebanon seeks to bring. In the aftermath of the 2020 port explosion, they rallied volunteers to clear debris and salvage what they could in the ruins. Even people who were refugees were among them. Normally the ones being served by Heart for Lebanon, the refugees were instead the ones helping citizens of Beirut recover. 

“Everything we do, we do it unconditionally. But also we want them to know that what drives us is the love of Jesus Christ that [He] has for every man and woman who is hurting and suffering,” said Melki. 

“So first, pray for us. Second, join us in leading people out of despair into hope in Jesus Christ.”

Learn how you can partner with Heart for Lebanon here. 

Header photo: Port of Beirut after the August 4 explosion. (Photo courtesy of rashid khreiss via Unsplash)

During his visit last week, US envoy Thomas Barrack acknowledged some progress on disarming Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, but said much more work lies ahead.

“What the government gave us was something spectacular in a very short period of time and a very complicated manner,” Barrack said at a news conference in Beirut last Monday.

A shaky ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon hangs in the balance.

“This ceasefire agreement was signed by the Lebanese government, by the Israeli government, and sponsored by the US government,” Heart for Lebanon’s Camille Melki says.

“Hezbollah is the main player in this agreement, but it’s not Hezbollah who signed it.”

Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel will withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon, and the US will support rebuilding efforts once Hezbollah surrenders its weapons. However, Hezbollah refuses to lay down arms unless Israeli troops leave their current positions in southern Lebanon.

“When will this (disarmament) happen? We pray very soon, because for it (Lebanon) to flourish, we need to have the Lebanese army as the only armed forces and the Lebanese government the only one in charge,” Melki says.

Ask the Lord to intervene in Lebanon’s political chaos so that millions of people can get the help they need to survive.
(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

As Lebanon continues to face deep crises, Heart for Lebanon brings hope through Jesus.

“Everybody’s giving up on Lebanon, but not the Church,” Melki says. “That’s our opportunity to show His (God’s) love in meaningful and tangible ways.”

Look for ways to help by partnering with Heart for Lebanon. Most importantly, pray. “Pray for unity within our government,” Melki requests.

“This question of Hezbollah turning in its weapons to the Lebanese army has become a divisive topic, and we need our government united, serving the best interest of the people, not the best interest of some paramilitary or political parties.”

In the header image, IDF displays weapons captured from Hezbollah in December 2024. (Wikimedia Commons) 

“Thank God they did not get involved. I mean, this is truly an answer to prayer,” Heart for Lebanon’s Camille Melki says.

“The Lebanese population, everyday Lebanese narrative, is ‘Please spare us the pain of another war.”

Lebanon continues to reel from last year’s war with Israel. In March, the World Bank estimated repairs from the Hezbollah-Israel conflict at $11 billion.

“The mass destruction of our infrastructure, the pain that was brought into the Lebanese community, and the economic turmoil that we continue to feel are sufficient indicators for us to realize that we can no longer afford another conflict,” Melki says.

Though Lebanon didn’t directly join the latest war, it still felt the shockwaves.

(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)

“We were looking forward to record-breaking tourism. All hotels were packed full, and flights were booked way in advance,” Melki says.

“All that got canceled; 12 days were sufficient to ruin the hope that we had for a great summer.”

Support Heart for Lebanon’s efforts to help people move from despair to hope.

Pray for strength for Gospel workers carrying an even heavier load. Pray Lebanese will find the hope that only Christ can offer.

“The ability to make up for that loss is very limited, so here we find ourselves again in need to reach out, love on, care for individuals who lost hope,” Melki says.

“Pray for perseverance and resilience among the workers. It’s hard to go on day in, day out, but the reason we continue is that we know we have the Body of Christ lifting us in prayers into the throne of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”

Header image depicts the flag of Hezbollah courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

“A lot of children in the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon went through very traumatic experiences, seeing their loved ones being killed, seeing many villages being totally destroyed,” Camille Melki of Heart for Lebanon explains. “A lot of people had to flee for their lives.”

Now, a delicate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is holding steady, igniting sparks of hope for a more stable future in the region.

“Children who are now finishing school are looking forward [to] a normal summer, and we’re all praying for that, [a time] where children can spend their summer not worrying where the next bomb is going to come from [or how] their parents would provide for the next meal,” Melki says.

Through its Summer of Hope initiative, Heart for Lebanon is ministering to these young hearts. “It’s a summer activity full of hope,” Melki says.

“Hope for a prevailing peace that not only seizes the sounds of bombs and explosions but [also] an inner peace that we only find through accepting Christ as our personal Savior.”

Each Summer of Hope program focuses on a different theme. “Right now, we’re focusing mainly on traumatized children, vulnerable kids, children who are fearful of tomorrow, who maybe have lost hope in the world they’re living in,” Melki says.

“[They are] tired of the violence, tired of the hatred, tired of the message of death and destruction that they hear around them.”

(Photo courtesy Heart for Lebanon)

By focusing on biblical character traits, Heart for Lebanon is seeking character transformation in the lives of Lebanese and refugee youth.

“Biblical stories highlight a particular trait that we find in Christ, a particular trait that we find in the Scriptures, and the Gospel that teaches us how to live the best life Christ desires for us,” Melki says.

Help Heart for Lebanon reach 1,600 vulnerable kids through the Summer of Hope. “Our target is to serve 800 [children] in southern Lebanon and 800 in the Bekaa Valley,” Melki says.

“Children who are vulnerable, struggling to accept reality, but with Christ, they learn how to deal with those realities, how they can conquer those fears, and how they can be Christ’s agents of change within their communities.”

Most importantly, pray. “The news out of the Middle East is always one of war and destruction,” Melki says.

“What I’d like our listeners to pray for [is] that the new news out of the Middle East would be one of peace and tranquility, one of a new future.”

Header and story images courtesy of Heart for Lebanon.