Blog Post

Beirut, Lebanon Catastrophic Explosion

HOPE worldwide • Aug 06, 2020

UPDATE 1.27.21

Thank you to everyone who has supported the people of Beirut in response to the catastrophic explosion last year. HOPE worldwide received an encouraging letter from HOPEww Lebanon and wanted to share their thanks:

  • CLICK HERE TO READ HOPEww LEBANON'S THANK YOU LETTER

    Brothers and Sisters,  


    With utmost gratitude and love, we wanted to express inexplicable feelings of being embraced and surrounded by the support we received from you all. Our beloved country, Lebanon, has been bombarded on every aspect for a period of 45 years. During a period of instability and insecurity, this made us more susceptible to despair, yet resilient to be proactive brothers and sisters and citizens relying on our Heavenly Father as a source of relief and hope.  


    On August 4th, the city of Beirut witnessed a devastating explosion that was rated as one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in the world throughout the history of mankind. The consequences were huge for a small country of 10,452 km.  204 people were confirmed dead, and more than 6,500 injured. Homes as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) away were completely damaged, and up to 300,000 were left homeless.  


    Living in a corrupted country with no government plan and no resources to rescue and support those who were directly or indirectly affected, HOPEww Lebanon rallied along with other NGOs to aid and help disciples, friends and acquaintances using our skills, houses, and any means of support that can be used. With very limited resources and hearts filled with grief, we were confident that God would allow this disaster to transform our hopeless hearts by putting our faith into practice and allowing His Word and our prayers to motivate and direct us. We decided to offer our own acts of service through cleaning up the glass and rubble from the streets and gathering donations from each other and people around us to help in any way possible.  


    Yet God had a different rescue plan! The overwhelming concern and support from our spiritual families around the entire world and HOPE worldwide poured like refreshing rain to our desperate hearts. Our minds could not fathom the huge amount of love being offered through all means of communication earthly and spiritually. At that time, we were able to understand and grasp the reality of what we have believed for years—that we are an indispensable part of ONE universal family of brothers and sisters. This motivated us further to serve and give, knowing that WE ARE NOT ALONE in this mess!  


    Your generosity has allowed us to enter houses and reflect God’s hope to Lebanese survivors and pray with them. We were able to see faces smile again and feel cared for. We were able to restore the broken glass of more than 50 houses in areas surrounding the explosion. We were able to help more than 500 families with food parcels. HOPEww Lebanon has been able to gain a credible name among other well-known and reputable NGOs and partner with them to distribute other basic needs like milk, diapers, heaters and clothing, paving the way to further projects planned for the coming years. 


    Thank you for sharing your lives and giving from your heart. Thank you for manifesting God’s love and applying His Word: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” We “take joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brothers and sisters, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.”   


     --HOPEww Lebanon  

UPDATE 8.31.20
Over the past month, the people of Beirut have been hard at work rebuilding and serving. HOPEww volunteers assisted with home repairs, distributing months’ worth of food parcels and providing lunch to those in need near the explosion site. With your help, this was made possible!

UPDATE 8.18.20
 Paul Vartanian is a faithful brother and HOPE worldwide volunteer who lives in Beirut, Lebanon where he was born and raised. He discovered a relationship with God after a terrible car accident landed him in the hospital with nearly all of his bones broken. Since then, Paul has volunteered with HOPE worldwide and has been on the front lines distributing COVID-19 aid since the global pandemic hit. As a result of the recent explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, Paul suffered injuries that led him to be hospitalized once again, but his faith wasn’t shaken. He is already back on his feet and distributing food and supplies to those in need during this difficult time.

Additional Media Coverage:
 After Beirut blast, Christians urged to ‘rise up and build.’ - The Christian Chronicle
Read full story

UPDATE 8.8.20
HOPEww Lebanon and the community are grateful for the outpouring of support. “HOPE worldwide is one of those organizations that has been providing assistance to the country since last October. In addition to providing and distributing food, HOPE worldwide 's Lebanon branch is working to renovate and rebuild homes that suffered damage from the explosion. This is as much as we can (do) as an NGO," said Moufid Tohme, the president of HOPE worldwide ’s Lebanese branch. - from USA TODAY Read full article here

8.6.20

HOPE worldwide is actively working with HOPEww Lebanon and the Beirut church to provide immediate aid for food, water and other relief needs for brothers and sisters, their families and the greater Beirut community.

On August 4, 2020, a catastrophic explosion occurred in Beirut, Lebanon. At least 100 people were killed, with hundreds still missing, and over 4,000 have been reported injured. News outlets and the Lebanese government are reporting that ammonium nitrate stored at the port exploded, causing the devastation.

The building where the Beirut International Church of Christ meets, which is located 5 kilometers away from the blast site, was damaged by the explosion. Among the many people who were impacted by the explosion, and as far as we know, one brother from the Beirut church was injured. Additionally, there are multiple families in the church whose homes have been damaged. Due to the current political turmoil in Lebanon and challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic, food and many supplies are scarce.

HOPE worldwide ’s Global Disaster Response team is working with leaders in Beirut to assess short- and long-term needs in Beirut. Please continue to pray for the families affected by this tragic event in Lebanon.

To support our Global Response Disaster efforts, please Donate Now .

For information about the HOPE worldwide Global Disaster Response Team or questions, contact:

Dave Tomlinson, Sr. Director, Global Disaster Response dave.tomlinson@hopeww.org

Charles Ham, Global Disaster Advisor charles.ham@hopeww.org

Paul Fruge ́ II, Sr. Director, Marketing & Communications paul.fruge@hopeww.org

Learn more about our Global Disaster Response at hopeww.org/global-disaster-response .

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