You are not alone!
JECSE schools unite in hope
with colleagues in Lebanon
Do you remember what it was like when your school was closed because of the pandemic? Do you remember the isolation, the fear, the uncertainty?
Today, nearly 6,000 students and almost 700 teachers in our Jesuit schools in Lebanon are experiencing even stronger feelings of fear and uncertainty. This time it is not a virus, but an armed conflict that not only prevents them from learning and working freely, but also puts their lives in danger every day. As our Beirut students said in the video they recently posted on Facebook: “How has the situation changed these days? It is so strange. Simple and ordinary things have become difficult to achieve!“
Our JECSE network of schools is of course concerned about the fate of our colleagues in Lebanon and is uniting in prayer, sending words of support and concrete help. “Being a person for others” is not just a phrase we teach today, but a reality of action and support for our colleagues in Jesuit schools in Lebanon, especially in the Bekaa Valley. Some of them have lost loved ones, others their homes, many people have lost their jobs and struggle to meet basic needs. Everyone is living in a constant state of fear and danger, unsure of what the next hour will bring…. Our schools in Lebanon are doing all they can to provide education – on site, hybrid or online where possible. At the same time, they are providing various types of help and support for students and their families. Fr. Marek Cieślik, SJ – Rector of Jesuit schools in Lebanon, told us: “We have many emergencies to deal with. Without talking about those who died, were injured or had to leave their homes, everyone is afraid. At the same time, we are moving forward, or at least trying to move forward, literally and figuratively…”.
With many families struggling financially, providing scholarships is a top priority – otherwise many young people may not be able to continue their education. As winter approaches, schools must also find resources to heat their buildings. The list of different needs is very long …
In particular, 3 schools in the Beqaa Valley area need help:
The Taalabaya School – primary school with 615 students of whom 80 (70 less than last year) are Syrian refugees;
The Jdita School – primary school with 310 students, which include 20 (12 less than last year) Syrian refugees;
The Tanaïl School – middle and secondary school with 405 pupils, including 10 Syrians
(6 less than last year).
Stonyhurst’s Fraternal Response
to the needs of Jesuit Schools in Beqaa
At 8am on June 8th, 2024, the pupils of Stonyhurst College (UK) began a fitness challenge like no other; a 6 hour long circuit training event! The circuit was composed of over 20 stations and lasted the full 6 hours. From body weight to cardiovascular exercises, completing this challenge was tough! But after nearly 6 months of training, the students from this outstanding Jesuit school in the UK were ready to give as much as they could to complete the challenge – because the goal was extremely important! It was part of their efforts to once again raise charitable funds to support Jesuit schools in Lebanon.
In July 2024 a group of senior pupils organised an evening banquet for parents and friends. Funds for the three schools were generated through
a live auction on the night, raffle prizes and ticket sales for the evening banquet.
Stonyhurst College has been supporting Jesuit schools in Beqaa for the past two years as they face an unimaginable economic crisis and many children are unable to continue their education without external support.
Thank you to all who are getting involved
to help our teachers and students in schools in Lebanon!
As we enter the season of Advent, let us all pray for peace. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, let us pause to reflect on the many blessings we have and thank God for the gift of freedom and the opportunity to enjoy education.
Dear friends in Lebanon,
you are not alone, we are with you!
Our desire is to be a generation of love
The moving text of the recording made by students at the Jesuit school in Beirut, describing how they perceive the current situation (original in Arabic):
I sat there and everything was fine.
For a year we actually sat on the sidelines, and everything was fine.
Just remember, remember everything that God has blessed us with.
How has the situation changed these days? It is strange.
What used to be easy and normal has become difficult.
Lebanon, my country, the land of beauty and tenderness, the land of love, the Switzerland of the East, was the treasure of the universe.
Its heart beats with love and what it has touched adorns the world.
It is broken and our hearts are broken, and with it my people.
There are no people like you, distinguished by generosity, love and the spirit of solidarity.
Every day, oh Lebanon, your roads that used to connect your people from your south to your north are being destroyed.
Since we woke up to a ceasefire, we have heard our people say that they are the generation of war. Now we fear that this phrase will become normal and that every generation will cut you off.
A generation of war.
I wish we could remove one letter* from the generation of war. You would become the generation of love.
But despite all these circumstances, we are united in you, my country. And we embrace the audience from all sides.
And as Gibran Khalil Gibran said, “If Lebanon were not my country, I would have chosen Lebanon as my country”.
Middle East Crisis and the Jesuits’ Response
“For more than a year, Lebanon has been plunged into a serious socioeconomic and political crisis, as well as increasing tension along its borders, especially in the south.
Since September 23, Lebanon has been experiencing a critical moment following devastating bombings in cities such as Saida, Nabatieh, the Bekaa Valley, and in some neighborhoods of Beirut. The conflict has already claimed more than 1,200 lives, including over 50 children and 94 women, and has left more than 5,278 people injured, according to Lebanese authorities.
This has led to a massive displacement towards areas which are considered to be safer. Approximately 201,000 people are displaced within the country, many seeking refuge in over 390 temporary facilities, such as public schools” (https://xavier.network/news/emergency-aid-crisis-in-lebanon/, copied on 08.10.2024).
The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), supported by members of the Xavier Network, provides assistance to those in need. They distribute food, clothing and other necessities in official shelters in the regions where they work. The Arrupe Migrant Center of the Jesuit Church of Saint Joseph has also opened its doors to migrants seeking shelter after being denied access to the collective shelters, and another shelter has been opened in Bikfaya.
You can learn more about the situation in the Middle East:
https://jrs.net/en/middle-east-crisis/
https://xavier.network/news/emergency-aid-crisis-in-lebanon/
