Feeding the Hungry in Lebanon
Lebanon’s economic crisis has left some of the poorest families in Beirut without food, clothes, medicine and electricity. The Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with the support of ACN, have opened a dispensary to help families in need.
By ACN Staff
Roua, a 30-year-old novice of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, visiting a poor family in Beirut. (Credit: Ismael Martínez Sánchez / ACN)
The Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus have been based in the Maronite parish of St. Joseph, Beirut, since 1989. The parish is close to the Christian Bourj Hammoud neighbourhood (predominately Armenian) in the Lebanese capital’s outskirts. This suburb is home to some of the poorest of Beirut’s residents and people from villages who came to the capital city to try to find a better life.
The Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus visiting a poor family in Burj Hammoud. (Credit: Ismael Martínez Sánchez / ACN)
Lebanon’s economic crisis has been difficult for most of the country’s population, but for the residents of Bourj Hammoud, it has tipped things over the edge.
The Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus have a specialised focus on educational, pastoral and social support as part of their mission. As Sr. Juliette Warcha explains, “Our mission is to know how to listen to people.” The sisters jump to action to help anyone who asks for help, day or night. As Sr. Juliette said:
“Every day, every day, every minute, people are knocking on our doors. Really, they need medicine, really ... of ... whatever. Whatever it is.”
Previously the sisters often directed those seeking help to other specialised organisations in one particular field or other. Now, however, these other organisations have become swamped. The sisters must respond directly to all these requests for help. Sr. Juliette told us the various problems people come to the sisters with:
“They need someone who will do their shopping, for example for those who can't afford to go and buy the vegetables. They have difficulty paying for their housing. They can't afford to pay their electricity. They have been forced to sell the fridge, to sell some of the furniture from their apartment to be able to buy medicines for themselves.”
Sr. Juliette. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
To help those in need, the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and religious from other congregations have opened a “clinic” to help those in need. The sisters also operate a dispensary out of the clinic and deliver food, clothes, medicine, milk, and nappies for babies to needy families. Sr. Juliette and the other sisters are motivated by the love of God and the wish to spread the Gospel:
“Sometimes you're tempted to meet their material needs. But we must help them to have recourse to Christ. I need to see Christ in them… They no longer have the will to live, they want to die. My role is to have loved life in order to be able to give it to others.”
ACN is supporting the clinic operated by the sisters to reach some of the most vulnerable in Bourj Hammoud and Nabaa. The sisters will continue to combine their pastoral work with humanitarian assistance in helping families with rent, cooking gas, medicine, food, milk, clothes and more. Please donate to our Christmas Appeal if you would like to help support Sr. Juliette’s clinic and dispensary.