My team had the chance to visit a refugee camp a few times while in Lebanon, while there we sat with families and shared the simple Gospel. My first day to the camp was an over cast and rainy one. We pulled up and were told we would need to meet with the leader of the camp to get the “okay” to go in. Our plan that day was to pass out some food boxes and some toys to the families so we sit and wait for the leader to join us outside.
He never came, it ended up he was not at that location and would not make it to us but he approved our entrance. We ended up setting on his porch and spoke to his wife and a couple other women form the camp.
A woman shared of how her husband has decided to marry another women and she now is alone in the camp. Taking another wife is accepted in Islam and most first wives then felt neglected after this would take place. She told us they came to Lebanon together and now he has moved to the city to be with his new wife while she remains at the camp.
The next woman shared how she came to Lebanon alone because her children had to stay back with her husband’s family. At first hearing this, I did not think too much until she said that her husband was actually deceased. I learned it is custom for the children to life with the parents of the father to keep family traditions alive and most often the family believes that the mother would be unable to take care of children. (Such a switch from American thoughts/practices) She could no longer be without her children. She sneaks back into her country and takes her children back and escapes with them back to Lebanon.
The third woman has seven children and is 22. (How in the world she didn’t have a single wrinkle or gray hair, I will never know.) She is the wife of the leader. Before the thought, “HOW CAN THAT HAPPEN?! HOW CAN SHE HAVE SO MANY KIDS SO YOUNG?!” I cannot say she was willing or happy but I can tell you she never said she was unhappy.
Miriam the woman with my team wasted zero time sharing the Gospel with these women. As the rain fell around us in what might seem like overwhelming circumstances I saw hope flood the tiny porch. I got to see these women hear the Gospel for the first time in their whole life. The first woman said she had never heard that Isa (Jesus in Arabic) died for her. Their eyes softened, their bodies relaxed and you could see Christ change their heart. It was the most real change I have ever seen before my eyes.
Time came for us to leave and the three women stood, kissed us, thanked us, and eagerly welcomed us any time. I had to face the question, “Do I believe in the Gospel enough to walk in to this place knowing I cannot offer them anything to change where they are but only can offer the hope of Christ and the gift of salvation?” I pray you understand when I say “only” it is because you want so badly to help in tangible ways in that very moment.
I walked into the camp wondering if I could handle seeing the hurting and the feeling of being helpless then walking away knowing without any shadow of doubt I have something more valuable than any earthly thing.
