Tyrone charity leader vows to stand by Lebanon

A TYRONE woman who leads a global poverty relief charity has vowed ‘not to abandon’ the struggling people of Israeli-bombarded Lebanon.

Donaghmore native Regina Lynch has announced the organisation she heads up has commenced an emergency campaign to raise at least €1m to assist damaged communities and displaced people in the besieged Middle Eastern state, which continues to be torn apart daily by its neighbour’s relentless airstrikes and ground assault.

“Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) stands by our project partners in Lebanon and we will not abandon them now, as they face another hour of need,” Ms Lynch said.

The attacks, which the Israeli government claims are aimed at eliminating the threat of Hezbollah strikes, have caused a wave of more than one million internally displaced people in various parts of the country, with the regions of Beirut, Mount Lebanon and northern Lebanon suffering the brunt of the difficulties caused by the influx of people fleeing the south.

“In all these locations,” Ms Lynch said, “the church has sprung into action, opening its facilities, including halls and retreat houses, to all those fleeing the most dangerous areas. These facilities are available to all, regardless of religious affiliation or ethnic background, as the church fulfills its Biblical mandate to help all those in need.”

Although the crisis is affecting the whole country, the worst areas are in the border regions between Israel and Lebanon.

directly affected

“Christians form a significant part of the population in this area and are being directly affected despite the fact that they have played no role in terrorist strikes against Israel. Thousands of Christians have been forced to flee their homes, which in most cases leads to family separation, as the mother and children seek shelter in church facilities or houses of relatives in safer areas and the father remains in the family house to prevent property theft.

“Lebanon has been going from crisis to crisis over the past decades, suffering from political instability, an influx of refugees from regional wars, an economic meltdown, the Beirut Port explosion which levelled large parts of the city, and now these attacks from Israel,” said Ms Lynch, ACN executive president.

“Despite all this, the church has continued to serve the people, providing material and spiritual support at every turn. ACN has stood by our partners in Lebanon. We are confident that our friends and benefactors will understand the urgency of supporting the church in Lebanon to carry out God’s work,” she added.

The charity, Aid to the Church in Need International (ACN International) – which was founded in the aftermath of the devastation of World War II – now supports some 5,700 communities in close to 140 countries reaching some of the most marginalised and vulnerable people in the world.

Last year, thanks to the generosity of benefactors, ACN International funded activities to the tune of more than €148 million.