FOT21 - Tom Craig, Nuna& Robert Update on Isaiah 19 from Lebanon

I want to welcome you to
this specialization, a teen

seminar about Lebanon. My
name is Tom Craig, I'm the

Middle East coordinator with
ice J. And we're happy to

have a couple friends from
Beirut, Lebanon to share in

this time as we talk about
the situation in Lebanon. So

I want to welcome Nuna. And
Robert, they're good long

term friends that we've
known for many years. And

they and their families have
been having a great impact

in Lebanon in the city of
Beirut, and along the Isaiah

19 Highway for many, many
years. So I value their

friendship and deeply value,
what they're going to be

sharing with us today to
give us a current update on

what's happening in Lebanon.
And we hope that you'll take

these points that we're
going to share and talk

about, and turn them into
prayer for Lebanon, because

it's really an a critical
time and situation as a

country. And this is a great
opportunity to hear from

them and turn those things
into prayer. So welcome,

Nuna. And, Robert, it's
great to have you with me on

this seminar today before
the Feast of Tabernacles.

conference coming up. And
yeah, welcome. Thank you.

Thank you. So I think what
would be helpful is if both

of you could just share in
your own way, how you view

Lebanon has gotten to the
situation it's in right now

I know, it's probably a long
term process that has been

going on. But maybe just the
more recent history or days,

what are the things that
have been happening are

what's led Lebanon into such
a crisis? At this point? Can

you give us more background
on on how that's happened?

And and kind of walk us
through that?

Why have you good in
history, so you should do

the history, I thought,

well, first of all the
senator in some area, to all

of you in Jerusalem, and who
are following the Feast of

Tabernacles via zoom. It's
wonderful to be able to

share in this way. We there
are many reasons to why we

arrived at the situation
that we're at now. And the

problem is it. It may take
too much time giving all the

reasons as to why we have a
failed state. Essentially,

we are similar to what
Venezuela is going through

right now. Banks and Lebanon
attracted dollars by

offering sky high interest
rates. So people were

sending their dollars to
Lebanon, and getting very

high percentages that you
couldn't find anywhere else.

It's called a Ponzi scheme.
So eventually, it collapsed.

Now there were two things
that I remember that led to

this one is September of
2019, the prime minister who

had been urging this side
hobby to tighten our fiscal

belts, himself was found out
to have paid millions of

dollars to a South African
lady a model to have

relations with her. That was
September then in October,

the government said they're
going to tax WhatsApp

because the government
needed more revenue. And

that those two things one
were a prime minister who's

telling us to tighten our
belts financially. And then

the WhatsApp tax led to
October 17 Intifada or

uprising Lebanese uprising.
So that that's very talking

very basically very
generally, in after the

uprising of October 17. We
had the slowdown of the

economy which was followed
by the collapse of the

Lebanese currency called the
lira followed by COVID and

COVID lockdowns and then as
you all know the explosion

actually there were two
explosions of August 4 of

last year. 2020. So that's
just by way of introduction,

events that came one after
the other. And I think there

is a also an international
feel to it. I think this all

spring, Arab Spring
everywhere didn't exclude

Lebanon. So it's it's just a
series of events that's

happening in the whole
Middle East. It's not just

Lebanon, it's something that
is that is cooked out

somewhere, we don't know
where and we don't know who

that is cooking something in
the Middle East to just this

is a, a burning pots here is
a it's a place that could

explode at any moment. And
it has been exploding. So if

you include what's happening
in Syria, what's happening

in Jordan, what's happening
in Iraq, in Turkey, in

Lebanon, in Egypt, and in
all these regions,

everything happens
simultaneously. So I think

it has more like an
international feel to it

than just a national. So
yes, we do have our own

problems and our own
corruption and our own

things. But it's also bigger
than us. And it's, it's a

plot to change the, the
landscape of the Middle

East. I think

that's very interesting. So
you see, and I would imagine

that you both realize that
there's great influences

affecting Lebanon from other
nations around the Middle

East. And this is how so
having impact on the society

and the economy there.

Okay, do you want me to go
into a little bit more

details or who should

know feel free?

Okay, I feel free. You know,
this, the whole thing in the

whole Middle East is a power
is a balance of powers. So

it's a Sunni Shiite power.
So I would think that when

the when the sheriff power
goes too strong, then these

powers that are working in
behind the scenes are just

helping all the Sunni power
to just rise stronger. And

when the Sunni says powers
go stronger than we have the

shade power goes stronger.
So it's always an

equilibrium of power. And
this is how I see it. So I

see that now, when ISIS was
there. The rise of ISIS all

these times, suddenly the
shades power started to

rise, because the ISIS was
too strong. The sheriff

power started to rise, and
to come into the play

against the ISIS power. And
it was just, you know, just

increasing. So it increased
into Lebanon increase into

Yemen, it's increased into,
into Iraq into Syria. So

it's increased. Now the
shape power is a bit too

strong. So now we have a
resurgence of the the Sunni

power. So it's a suddenly we
have the Taliban we have the

ISIS, we have like
everything is resurging, for

certain reasons. So this is
all a game of power between

Sunni and Shiite, for the
holidays. So I don't think

it's just 1111 on problem. I
think it's a power or it's a

power struggle. I don't know
I think be with me, but very

insightful.

I would I would say that
Lebanon has been targeted by

Iran. Since Khomeini came to
power in February of 1979.

You remember, he was an
exile in France. And then he

flew back to Iran into power
after the sharp fell from

power. That same year, the
Iranian Revolutionary Guard

opened up a camp in Lebanon,
in the Bekaa Valley and

bonding. So the Shia
resurgence dates, all the

noonas referring to dates
all the way back to 1979. So

we're talking about 42 years
at the base here.

Furthermore, Israel used to
have direct flights from Tel

Aviv to Tehran, there was a
Israel interest office or

building into Iran. They
were Israeli engineers and

scientists and teachers.
They were all working in

Iran because the Shah was on
a crusade of modernity. He

wanted to make Iran into a
first world country. So the

Israel's closest ally was
Iran. But when Khomeini came

to power that year, he
closed the Israel office and

he declared the the last
week of Ramadan to be

Jerusalem day so the
committee has been using and

subsequent leaders in Iran
are using Lebanon as a

battleship to liberate
including Marx liberate

Jerusalem, for Islam. So,
there there are many reasons

for the collapse that you
asked us about. But you can

go back 42 years to where
Lebanon was already being

targeted by Iran. And this
is the fruit of that. And in

fact, there was a coup in
May of 2008, in which his of

Allah, which is the Shiite
militia, and also political

party, launched a coup
against the government

government and arrested in
quotation marks, government

leaders have put them under
house arrest for 24 hours in

one day and basically said,
we're in control now. Yeah.

And so we have been in a
political gridlock. Ever

since 2008, we've had not
able to make any progress.

Politically, we have no
government, as you probably

know, because Lebanon is
being used by Iran, as their

spear into into Israel.

That that is so helpful to
understand and so critical

to be aware of, and praying
for as believers who want to

stand with God's purposes
for the nations of the

Middle East, including
Lebanon, that they would be

delivered from this and come
into their destiny, and

stand with also Israel and
the other nations and God's

purposes. So thank you guys,
I think another very

significant event, as I
understand it, is what

happened last year, on
August 4, I was on a zoom

call at that time, I think,
Homer, you were on it as

well, with many other
leaders from around the

world. And there was a big
explosion in Beirut and you

had to excuse yourself, at
that time, and others on the

call, they were from
Lebanon, became quite

emotional about just how
fearful they were over what

had happened in Beirut,
because of the size of the

explosion and noon, I know,
we were communicating

quickly, soon after that as
well. But maybe you can just

describe that day and what's
happened as well, since

then, in the city of Beirut
and in Lebanon.

Yeah, I remember that day.
And I think many people

remember that day as if it
was yesterday. So it's not

something that was in the
past. It's something that's

so vivid, and so present in
our memory. And we can't, we

can't just live, you know,
without remembering that

day. And I wrote it in one
of my letters that it was

there is now before the
October, August for and

after August 4, like, you
know, there is a this this

thing that before it was
this way, and now it is this

way. So it it's just had a
complete transformation of

society, the all the trauma
of the civil war that was in

Lebanon came back. So the
people that lived that

moment of the explosion, and
that felt the instruction

and the loss and the death
and all these things lived

also not only that tragedy,
but live back also the

tragedy of the war, where
people lost also homes and

people they loved and like
many things that were

similar,

so kind of re traumatize
them or brought that all

back up.

Yes, yes. So because it was
all always inside them, but

they learn to live with it.
But now with this, now you

have a new fear, that is
lingering, we will as I was

discussing with my son, just
yesterday, I was discussing

with him and they said now
that when they hear a plane,

they they feel fear. When
they hear a plane, they feel

fear. And he was saying
genoma this friend has this

and this friend has this and
this friend has this. So he

was just naming all the
people people like every one

of them had now fear when
they hear a plane because

before the explosion, this
is what we heard we heard

that plane and then we heard
the explosion so so there's

this now unconscious fear
that is there that I don't

know what will happen to me.
Now I'm on a road and I hit

a plane and maybe a bomb
will explode just next to

me. So something that that
unconsciously is living the

living it like everyone is
living it. So we live we're

working in the explosion
area. So we have a center

now index function area, and
I see all day long as you

see people who have lived
this tragedy will have lost

homes. Some of them have not
even finished repairing

their homes, because of lack
of finances, but some of

them are still trying to
Bring back a sense of

normalcy in, in their lives.
But it's very hard,

especially for younger, the
younger ones, the kids who

are afraid now to go back
into their homes, the kids

who don't know what to do,
like if they go to school,

they come back from school,
or they like, what are they

going to find? So there's a
this, this heavy feeling of

trauma and of, of
uncertainty and fear and

insecurity, there's all
over. So it's not just a, an

explosion that happened in
someplace, it's the whole

spectrum of things that are
before and after. So even

before, because of all the
memories that came with it,

and after, because of all
the things that are still

very much around us that we
can see, there's so much

still to be repaired,
there's so much still

reminding us every day of
what happened every day, we

see places that have not
been repaired yet to cars

that are still destroyed,
shops that are still closed,

and with broken windows and
broken shutters, and so it's

still there, it's still
there around us.

It must be so difficult with
what you described earlier

about how things just are
not functioning with the

government and in the
society in general, to have

such a massive, destructive
event take place, impacting

the port and surrounding
areas. They're in Beirut to

such a degree that you know,
how many hundreds of 1000s

of people were homeless are
affected at that time

100,300 to

300,000 people who were
affected by that. And then a

year later, you're talking
about how things are still

very much not remedied or
taken care of because of the

situation there that you
described earlier. And that

must be so difficult for you
and all the people in

Lebanon just to continue to
go through the whole process

of trying to make life
better, but failing, in many

ways, there's a little
progress. And it's it feels

hopeless, I'm sure, at
times, but we just

and the government does is
not there. So it's like

everything is relying on
NGOs and international aid,

and through the government.
So the people are really,

really relying on NGOs to to
rebuild their lives and to

have what whatever kind of
headache they can. They're

not relying on any
governmental office, they're

not relying on the social
affairs of the Ministry of

Interior, they're not
relying of any on any of

these. They're just relying
on NGOs. And that's puts a

really heavy load on local
and international NGOs. And

do you

feel that those NGOs are
getting enough resources and

they have enough people and
finances to be able to to

continue to help in that
situation and serve those

people that have needs?

It is going well, I think I
think there is always this

the problem of the banks. So
people who cannot retrieve

their money from banks. So
some people have actually

money in the bank, but they
cannot retrieve it. So

that's a problem. Some
people are receiving money

and can retrieve it and are
able to work with it. But

the need is so much greater
than like, even if you just

send hundreds of millions of
dollars. It's not enough.

It's not enough, because the
problem is that people are

not able to it's not like
you give one time you just

rebuild a life and then they
go on you have to continue

because there is no work,
there is no prospect of

work, there is no future
there is no hope there is

nothing. So you give once
and then you have given up

to give another time and
another time and another

time. So even if you have a
lot, a lot, a lot of money

is sustained in it for a
long time. It's very hard.

Even, you know, even a
government I don't know if

the government can do that.
So, so yes, there are like

there is money and many NGOs
are working and but the

sustaining of it is very
hard.

Probably because there needs
to be a redevelopment of

infrastructure in so many
ways for things to improve.

So Robert, what do you feel
I know you were greatly

impacted and I remember you
going around on your

motorcycle and viewing
things right down at the

port after it happened and
and sharing those videos.

And pictures with me and
others. But how's life been

since then, in your view?

Well, we were, as you
mentioned, we actually were

on a zoom together when we
had, I felt an earthquake,

and we've been overdue. A
big earthquake since the

last big one, shook the
whole region back in 1927.

My wife and I, we always
talk about, hey, we're

overdue. Where's the
earthquake? Because Lebanon

is right on the Rift Valley
as Israel, which goes from

here all starts in Lebanon
goes all the way to Kenya

and Africa. So I thought,
well, here's the big one,

maybe this is the big
earthquake. So I got up and,

and walked out to the bank,
I excused myself from the

zoom call. And just as I got
up from the couch, I heard

the sound. So I realize it
was an earthquake, it was an

explosion. I got out to the
balcony. Now there's nothing

there's no obstruction
between the balcony and the

port. In other words,
there's no buildings in

front of between me and the
port, all of the port is a

distance away. It there's
nothing to obstruct my view.

And so I was there. When the
second explosion, that's the

large one went off, and it
looked like an atomic bomb.

And for a split second, I
thought, What is this an

atomic bomb, but I realized
I wasn't blinded by the

flash. So that I really
thought that for a second.

But the mushroom cloud
disappeared in a second or

two it was it wasn't like
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. So I

realize No, this is not at a
time, but I didn't know what

it was. But it I went down
and no cars are allowed in

the area. But I could get by
my little motorcycle and

went down to to look at it.
The following morning

explosion was 10 minutes
past six in the evening. On

August the fourth, I went
down the morning in the

fifth and saw the incredible
destruction. Now I want to

say this about August the
fourth August the fourth

created another spasm of
fury on the part of the

Lebanese people against the
government. Very similar to

what happened in October
17 2019. Why? Because the

Lebanese discovered that
tons of ammonium nitrate

nitrate, which was in a
rusty old boat that was on

its way to Mozambique, had
stopped in Beirut for some

repairs. And for some
reason, the contents of the

ship, the small ship were
confiscated by Lebanese

customs and put in a
warehouse in 2016, if I'm

not mistaken, and not stored
properly. And so when the

Lebanese people found out
what are we doing,

confiscating this stuff, and
putting it on our shore?

People were going crazy. Why
didn't we just you know, let

that ship get its repairs
and go on to Mozambique,

where that's where it was on
its way to. But the it was

confiscated. And it led to
this explosion which is had

it's a domino effect. It's
affected so many things. In

addition to what I've
already mentioned, the

collapse of the currency,
slowdown of the economy and

so on, so forth. This is
almost the last straw. I

don't know if it is the last
straw, then it seemed like

the last straw. And so a
fury has erupted in Lebanese

society. Because no one has
been held accountable.

Immediately an investigation
was launched, but no one has

been arraigned. No one has
been brought to court, much

less arrested or sentenced
to prison for this

explosion, which damaged
hundreds of 1000s of

buildings. It's hard to
imagine a number like that.

And then some buildings were
damaged, were completely

destroyed. Others suffered
superficial damage depending

how far away you are from
the blast. But we're talking

about hundreds of 1000s of
buildings. And this is after

Beirut started rebuilding
the war ended in 1990. And I

would say about 93 or 94
building started in earnest.

And the skyline of a mood is
totally different than what

I remember when I came here
in 1980. So all of that it

seemed like all of that
progress was just destroyed.

And so a tremendous malaise
has fallen on the Lebanese

people a disappointment, a
discouragement. In the when

the war broke out and 75 the
Civil War The second Civil

War first one was 1958. But
when the second Civil War

broke out in 75, the
population Lebanon was

around 3 million, a million
Lebanese left after the 75

War. Well, they came back in
the 1990s. And now once

again, we're seeing an
exodus, a brain drain. I

mean, I've lost my doctor.
I've lost my dentist. The

best and the brightest are
leaving young people leaving

because these are their
early years of their life.

They can't sit around
waiting. So It's it's a

discouraging time for sure.
Now, we're not going to

finish this seminar on that
note, but I just answer your

question about how I view
the explosion of August 4.

Well, thank you. And I
think, you know, both of you

have made reference to a few
times to the economy and how

it has, you know, had such a
turn downturn, and it's in

really bad shape. Can you
speak more to that before we

talk about the response of
believers and the church to

all of this, because we do
want to end on a hopeful

note of what God can do
through all of this, but I

know the economy is
suffering greatly. They're

in Lebanon, and many of us
are concerned about how that

affects society and the
political situation in

Lebanon, but also in the
region with as the other

forces that work as we
talked about earlier, so

what about the economy? How
is it impacting you and your

families, your ministries,
but also in general Lebanon?

Well, you probably know that
the Lebanese pound has lost

90% of its value, which
means that with with a $1,

now, you have 90% inflation,
so you can just have for the

same dollar you had before
1500, Lebanese lira, now you

have 20,000, Lebanese here
for the same dollar. So this

means such a devaluation of
the Lebanese pound, and the

power of the buying power,
the purchasing power of the

remaining style is really
nothing. So now you go to a

shop, and you can really buy
nothing with what you have

is living these pounds. And
many people are still

receiving the wages in
Lebanese pounds, and it has

not even been increased. So
they have lost 90% of their

salaries, which so
everything is all the stuff

in the supermarket, or the
things that you need to buy

even the gas, or whatever it
is, everything has increased

in value, and a lot
increased, but then they

don't have any more the
purchasing power that they

have. So if they had money
in the bank is stranded in

the bank, if they have, if
just they're just relying on

their own salary, what they
get, they're receiving only,

like 10% of what they used
to receive before. So now

that we're the wage, the
minimum wage is about $29

less than minimum wage of a
nice person per month. And

it is like $29. So before it
used to be like $600 now

it's, it's $29. So you can
imagine a little bit the

poverty that people are
living in the lack. So they

have been reduced to it to
you know, just cut out some

meats or some restaurants or
some some of the things that

they used to do, they have
now to just stop it and not

not live the same way they
used to live before. So and

many of them now are relying
on the the aids the food

packages that we are sending
or that other NGOs are

sending, so many of them are
actually relying on the food

packages that we're sending.
So that's much people who

have never, never asked for
help are now coming and

knocking at our doors, which
is for us it is a

catastrophe. It's really,
really dramatic. And you

know what people who have
done who are going through

the same thing? Yeah. So
they now we are we are where

we were, we are reduced to,
you know, to ask for help.

You know, not not personally
but I mean, Lebanese people

are, this is the reality of
maybe 80% of the Lebanese

population is a huge number.
Not Of course, you have some

who are living with working
with foreign countries, so

they still receive their
wages in foreign currencies.

They're fine. But those who
are receiving their wages in

Lebanese have been
dramatically dramatically.

That's have been touched by
that.

So Robert, what are you
viewing when you see this

situation now with the
economy and how it's

affecting people's lives?

Well, it's hard for me
although I don't get my

salary is not in Lebanese
lira. But it's hard for me

to be around such need in my
building. We have three

pharmacists, one engineer
and they need food. I never

thought I would see such a
thing. When I came to

Lebanon for the first time
in 1980, and then moved my

family here in 1982, there
was full employment. The

currency was very strong.
Lebanese was known. The

Lebanese currency was known
as a very strong currency.

Yes. And that's how it was
throughout the warriors.

Now, there wasn't security.
There was there was work,

and there was food. And
there was a strong currency.

But of course, there was war
as well. We don't have war

now. But the situation in
many respects is much more

difficult. Then it was an
award. Here's the How do you

go from $600 to $29, a
person in our church, her

brother had had $1,650 a
month, which is a very good

salary. He has a wife and
four children. And now he

has to get by on less than
$200 a month. I mean, it's,

this is incredible. I have
never seen anything like

this now. The Nunez husband.
Right after the Intifada

started in October of 2019.
The very next month,

November, he decided to
start a food bank. And it's

the first congregation to do
that. And it was so patient

of him to do and it's just
amazing, because we didn't

realize how much people will
be depending on this food

bank. And we've not only
First of all, it was founded

to help the congregation,
the members of the

congregation, obviously, but
then it's spread to helping

other congregations. And
then finally, Nunez has been

helped churches start their
own food banks. And this

food bank continues to grow
because the need continues

to grow. I never saw this in
the Warriors never saw

anything like this before.
So this is very impactful.

It's it's painful to see,
even though I personally

unable to buy the food that
I need to be around such

need all the time, is pretty
discouraging.

I can imagine I just really
have no idea. You know,

though, we've lived in
situations where there's

poverty and and difficulty
to, to make ends meet for

people. It's nothing like
what you guys are

describing. And it's been
going on for such a long

time already with, again,
very little hope for how

it's going to change right
now, politically and

otherwise. So I think we
really, you know, he knew

need to take some time now
before we finished to talk

about what the Lord's been
doing in your hearts,

through all of this and how
he's encouraged you and

given you hope, cuz I know
you both are both resilient,

strong believers, and that
you have great hope yet for

Lebanon and for Isaiah 19
and the nations around to

see God's kingdom calm. So
yeah, explain how you've

responded to these things,
especially in the last

couple years. But over the
last year, especially so

much has been happening
noona I know your ministry

triumphant mercy has been
having a great impact before

the explosion at the port,
but even more so after that,

in many ways, and you're
involved in a lot of

different outreach and
ministry. Maybe you can

explain to us what you all
got. Well, you guys are

doing and then as well,
Robert, we want to hear from

you.

Yes, as transit mercy, which
is the humanitarian branch

of the church, we we do have
a big impact on the whole

Lebanese society. No, and
before that we were working

also with refugees. So we're
still working with refugees

with the Sunni refugees, but
we have increased the work

with Lebanese citizens,
especially after the crisis.

So with all the economic
collapse, with all the

things that the Lebanon is
going through, we have been

just opening our doors for
Lebanese who are just going

through psychological
problems with trauma with

all the things that they
have been going through. So

we have had a lot of work
with that. During after or

after the explosion. We had
pre built homes. So we had

for two months. We were just
on the streets. We had we

pitched a tent on the
street, having a table there

and just mapping the region
and and sending workers into

every home. So we did a lot
a lot of homes that more

than 500 homes, we could
help rebuilding and

repairing so we had a huge
impact on that and I

remember, I remember just a
bit after the explosion when

we were working on the
streets. I remember when

people were coming from all
the regions, with just

brooms, people wanted to do
something, you know, people

could not after this
explosion, they could not

just sit at home and watch
news and not be on the

ground. Like they needed to
feel useful. They needed to

express their anger and
their frustration while I

was doing something. So we
had with that too, because

we started to give them
gloves for work, we started

to bring we brought brought
lots of shovels, and, you

know, bags and all these
things so that people can

just clean the streets and
clean hospitals and clean

churches and clean homes and
clean stairs and whatever it

is, so that people will just
see people's frustration. So

we were able to help with
that, to help to just

contain this, and to just
bring leadership to people.

Really, I just see them the
black sheep, without

shepherds, they had no one
to lead them. They had no

one to tell them what to do,
or how to help and what what

how can you just actually do
something. So this was our

job just to sit there and
just say, you go here, you

go here, take the shovel,
take these, these now and

just bring trucks and just
put everything in the truck

and take it to the garbage
things, those small things

like that, that they needed
it, it just brought so much

like

it was like a bomb on their,
you know, on their, on their

frustration, just like I'm
doing something. And this

has continued. So now this
has continued is different

now. So most of the homes
are somehow repaired, you

still have lots of other
works, but like maybe the

heaters is not working,
maybe the shutters are not

working but with the homes
are okay, so people can live

in in the homes. But now as
with, you know you work on

people with psychological
support with trauma healing,

and we work on them to share
it to give them a vision for

the future. So that's
another kind of work we can

give. When when you just
tell them that actually

there is a future, there is
a future, your life doesn't

stop here. And that's a
problem. Because none of

them has even the slightest
thought that the future can

exist. For them many, for
many of them, life has

stopped, life has taught
with just surviving, we're

in a surviving mode, we're
not in a mode that can

actually think of tomorrow.
We're just surviving today.

And that's it. So that's the
kind of work we could do. So

we do that we do we try to
provide small jobs, maybe

it's not a big thing, maybe
it's now we cannot do

everything. But we can
provide small jobs. And

sometimes this is what
people need. Because, you

know, they, they don't and
many people actually told us

this when we were visiting
them at home, they will say,

I don't need you to help me,
I need you to find a job. I

don't want to be helped I
want a job. So this is what

we're trying to do. So we're
trying all kinds of things

to help people just stand
back on their feet. And it's

not it's not easy. And of
course the gospel is always

there. Without we cannot
have hope without the

gospel. So when we talk
about gospel about hope,

when we talk about future,
we talk about the destiny of

Lebanon and that God loves
Lebanon and Lebanon is a

jewel in the crown of the
Lord and etc. So we always,

always bring back the Lord
into it because he is our

anchor. Without him we just
tossed you know by by every

wind that is coming by every
political change by every

speech that somebody says
that if somebody says

something we can remove,
then somebody else says

something and then we can be
moved. So we have to be

anchored somewhere. And this
is how we're working with

people. I think, I think for
now, this is what we can do.

We can bring food, we can
bring restoration of souls,

we can try to provide jobs
and and just bring bring God

close to people

to see that there is some
breakthrough coming through

all these crises in terms of
people's spiritual lives or

their hearts. Are they
becoming more tender open to

hear the good news or
something that will give

them both and are believers
stepping up to really take

advantage of that and share
the gospel more and more in

those situations.

I can see that people are
more tender because their

their pride has been cut.
You know now they reduced

their have, you know, they
have to humble themselves to

ask for help? Or to say I
cannot do it by myself? Or I

say, can you be next to me?
Can you help me? Can you so

there's this brokenness that
came. And with brokenness,

there's openness. So now
there is much more openness

to hear the gospel before. I
remember Lebanese was so

like, you know, religious.
So I know everything, and

you don't need to preach the
gospel to me. So but now,

they are so broken that they
want that word of hope. So,

this morning, I were like I
was at one of the centers,

and I was we were discussing
with a lady, and we were

telling her what do you
want? What do you need?

Like? So we're just having a
kind of what do you need?

And one of the things that
we told her, we told her, we

can do Bible studies, not
Bible studies, like Bible

meetings, talking about the
Bible, or we can do trauma

healing, or we can do
computer lessons, or we can

do and she said, I want
Bible. And oh, that's nice.

That's nice. So people are
open, then I can't say

they're mature, and they
understand everything, but

they are open. And this
brokenness has brought so

much more openness then than
we used to have before. Yes,

yeah. So some, they're
thirsting for more,

this is more, but at the
same time, there's so much

hopelessness in another
another part that many of

them just dream of leaving
the country. So it's both,

you know, they're broken. So
the solution is either I

leave the country or I need,
I need help. So if you can't

leave the country, then
that's when you have like, I

need something. And so, so
it's really, it's really

hard to hide situation.

Oh, yeah. Robert, what is
your view on this in terms

of what God's you know,
showing you and the hope

that you have for what he's
going to do to redeem all of

this?

Well, I'd like to put some
of the the suffering that

Lebanon has experienced over
the decades and perspective,

this, this country was
carved out of the caliphate

after World War One. So as
far as Muslims are

concerned, it's Muslim land.
And they've never, they've

never accepted any more than
they have accepted. The

establishment of the State
of Israel never accepted the

idea that Christians can be
the head of state, the head

of the army had a Ministry
of Interior that's unique

among the 22 Arab states, in
the Middle East. So Lebanon

is a very, very unique
country in the Arab Muslim

world. Yes. And as a result
of that, when it was

founded, is a French mandate
1920 and got its

independence in 1946. It's,
it's been targeted, in my

opinion, it's been targeted
by Satan ever since. But

why? Because Lebanon was the
place where Christian

publishing was was was here.
Yeah, Christian television

was here. Christopher's
Christian radio, the

Christian television, right
in the heart of the Arab

Muslim world, there's
Lebanon, being a light for

the gospel to 300 million
Arab Muslims. This is like a

sharp stick in the eye of
Satan. And so my, my

perspective is the traumas
that we've been going

through, go back many
decades. It's not just you

know, the August 14 2020.
explosion, or, or the

Intifada? 2019? No, no, he
goes back. It's it goes way

back. And so as a result, we
are having the kind of

upheavals that we're having,
because more and more

Muslims are coming to faith
in Yeshua, in Jesus. Look at

Iran, for example, Iran
established an Islamic

theocracy, that means a
country that's run by Allah.

And yet it's the fastest
growing church that we're

aware of in the Muslim
world. That's just one

example. The other thing you
asked us to speak about

Isaiah and it well, we're
part of the highway, we're

part of a Syria were part of
the countries that make up

used to make up Syria or
Syria, the empire of Syria.

I would like to remind our
listeners, our viewers, that

the border between Israel
and Lebanon was open

unofficially from 1976 until
2000. That means for a

period of 24 years, there
was a commerce and people

going back and forth across
the border, not Israelis.

Israelis are not allowed to
go north, the Lebanese are

free to come south, and then
he did and many worked in

Israel. So the highway was
actually open from 1976 to

2000. So that gives us hope,
and I remember those days

and those of the viewers are
that know their geography.

I'm talking about the Tula
the good fence matola being

the the northernmost city
and Israel and those If you

didn't know Lebanese
geography, I'm talking about

Coca Cola, and Marina Yun
area. But there are other

openings along the border
all the way to us in order,

for example in Romania, but
we believe that Satan, he

knows this Bible as well
remember, he quoted some

pretty obscure passages to
the issue it Jesus when he

was being tempted by the
devil in the wilderness, so

he knows his Bible. So he's
aware of God's vision for

this region, the vision that
God gave Isaiah we call it I

say, his vision, but it's
actually God's vision that

he gave Prophet Isaiah and
chapter 19, particularly the

last three verses 2324 25.
Well, Lebanon is part of

that promise. And so we see
a spiritual warfare going

on. The good thing is, is
that we're experiencing

judgment, but we're also
learning righteousness at

the same time. And the house
of the Beirut House of

Prayer, which came out of
this congregation that noona

pastors along with her
husband, this is this is

going on, you know, their,
their prayer movement is

growing in this country as a
result of what we've been

going through, particularly
since 2019. The momentum is

growing. I wouldn't say that
we're having revival and

Lebanon, although I know
there has been a description

of one meeting in the Bekaa
Valley as a revival. I'm

aware of that meeting. But
I'm talking about it's not a

nationwide revival. We're
seeing pockets of revival,

certainly, in the Beirut
house of prayer. It's it's

never been as active in the
past as it is today. And I

believe that the is caused
us to get serious about our

faith, and to realize that
we're in spiritual warfare

here, that Satan

hates us and has a terrible
plan for our lives. But God

has a bride here in Lebanon,
and he loves Lebanon, and he

loves his church in Lebanon,
and he has great plans for

this country, man. And so we
we are contending in the

place of prayer and worship,
for the spiritual destiny of

Lebanon, which is linked to
you where you live, Tom, and

is linked to the other
countries along the highway.

Wonderful. Well, I think the
only thing we can do now is

to take some times in that
prayer for Lebanon so that

they will continue to think
about what they've heard and

pray into all of this, I
really would like to just

take a moment and share
before we pray this amazing

promise, from Isaiah chapter
29, to prophetic word

declaration in Isaiah as
well, about Lebanon, that I

would think we're all
continuing to believe God is

going to bring this to pass
in the near future. It

begins in verse 17, of
Isaiah 19 verse, Isaiah 29.

In a very short time, will
not Lebanon be turned into a

fertile field. And the
fertile fields seem like a

forest. A day the death will
hear the words of the scroll

and out of gloom and
darkness, the eyes of the

blind will see, once more
the humble will rejoice in

the Lord. The needy will
rejoice in the Holy One of

Israel. The ruthless will
vanish the mockers will

disappear. And all who have
an eye for evil will be cut

down. Those who had with a
word make someone out to be

guilty, who ensnare the
defender in court, and with

false testimony deprive the
innocent of justice. Yes,

well, what a description of
Lebanon from what you've

already been sharing with
us, what we hear about the

situation, the terrible
corruption and injustice is

going on that are affecting
and all of the society and

the economy and so on
people's lives. God has a

hope and a promise to turn
that around in a very short

time. He says, this can
happen in Lebanon, and that

once more than the humble
will rejoice in the Lord

Luke noona. You talked about
people becoming broken and

humble. It's time now it's
time for a breakthrough

spiritually for Lebanon,
that the needy will rejoice

in the Holy One of Israel.
Robert, that speaks to me

that they're actually going
to know even more about the

God of Israel, who is the
father of Yeshua, Jesus, the

Messiah, that they're going
to honor and love him as

well as all the nations of
the Middle East will

Together with the people of
Israel. So why don't we just

take a moment and close in
prayer, and I'll let both of

you lead off and prayer for
your own wonderful nation of

Lebanon. And then I'll close
it after you've prayed.

Okay? Jesus, I thank you
because of your promises,

because your promises are
true. Yes, and every promise

that you have in the Bible,
every promise that you have

for our land, we take it,
the God of justice is

coming. You are the God of
justice, and you're bringing

your throne as we worship as
we pray, Lord, I know that

you are establishing your
throne of justice. And you

said, the foundation of your
throne is justice and truth

is true. So I just ask Lord,
that You would, in these

dark times that you would
increase prayer, I pray that

you would just increase the
number of people who would

just call onto you. Because
you said that you hear the

cries of your people. And
you listen, and you come and

you visit, and you raise the
deliver and you change and

you transform because you
are the one who is able to

do all these things. Lord,
we put our trust in you. We

cannot trust in any man in
any country, in any

government in any power in
we don't trust in any.

Because all of them has
failed us, all of them,

though. So we know that we
cannot trust on anyone but

you and today we just come
to you. And we say Lord

Lebanon is a precious jewel
in your crown and Lebanon

will be richly represented
before the throne. And it

has such a destiny that that
the Lord has just talked

about it multiple times,
about the beauty of Lebanon

and the glory of Lebanon and
or the splendor of Lebanon

or the cedars of Lebanon and
the aroma that's coming out

of Lebanon. And Lord today I
just asked that Lebanon way

come into its destiny, pray,
Lord, that You would just

bring bring back Lebanon to
his original status. I just

am all these covers all
these markers, all these

people that are just making
plans, like in some tool,

that they are just
conspiring together against

the Lord. Not that you would
just laugh like law. It's a

terrible laugh. It's a
terrible laugh. When you

were you laugh from your
soul at your enemies. It's a

terrible laugh. But I asked
her that now you just bring

your justice from your
throne. And I thank you

because there's nothing that
out of that's out of your

control. And even though we
see the situation as like as

a dead end and very hard
with you, there's always an

open door with you. There's
always an exit, you always

you always have a solution.
You always have a plan of

redemption, always have a
plan, even to death, you had

a plan of resurrection, even
to any sickness, you had a

plan of restoration you you
have. So for Lebanon is not

a dead end today. We just
proclaim it. It's not the

end. It's not the end. So we
just look at it with hope.

We look at the future with
hope. And we are waiting to

see the deliverance of the
Lord. We are expecting

expecting to see the
deliverance of the Lord, we

keep our eye we keep
watching. As these watched

people on the watch towers,
were watching the watchmen

they were watching to see
and we are waiting to see

the salvation of the Lord
coming into our land, which

is waiting for it. And we
thank you for giving us this

privilege to be serving your
people in this time. This

this is a privilege that you
have entrusted us to serve

your people. I pray for that
you will just keep us

focused on you. Not only on
the task that is around us,

but on on you because you
are the one who is able to

just melt the mountains, all
the difficulties will just

go down and every value will
be raised up and you're able

to do it all. So we trust
you. And we thank you for

your faithfulness and for
being with us, sustaining

us, encouraging us and just
giving us the stamina to

continue in Jesus name.
Amen.

Lord, I thank you that you
will not put out a

smoldering wick. We
celebrate Lebanon's gospel

heritage. Yes. there for
decades. It's been a light

for the gospel. In the last
frontier of Christian

mission, the Muslim world in
the heartland of Islam, you

raised up Lebanon. Lord, we
cry out for Lebanon that the

enemy would not be able to
extinguish the flame. We ask

Holy Spirit that you would
blow This nation, that we

would once again be part of
the solution, not part of

the problem that we would be
able to see the highway

open. Between Lebanon, in
all the surrounding

countries. Oh Lord unstop it
Oh God, we're so anxious to

have relationship, physical
contact and relationship

with our brothers and
sisters across the border.

Oh Lord, would you open this
part of the highway, we act.

And we will continue to ask
until we see it happen until

it's a reality. Lord God,
open the highway we pray,

open the highway. Lord
Jesus, we ask

each other I thank you so
much for this rich time of

just hearing from the hearts
of noona and Robert, who

represents so many others in
the land of Lebanon. Lord,

thank you that they have
been faithful through all

these years to seek your
face, to grow in the

knowledge of view, to become
ambassadors of your kingdom

to the people of Lebanon
and, and beyond to the other

nations of the Middle East.
Lord, I thank you, that you

will honor their faith and
the faith of of many in the

land of Lebanon who
continued to put their hope

in you and to pray to you
day and night tonight and

day Lord, thank you for the
increase of prayer that is

taking place. Even during
these difficult days Lord,

made that just grow and and
intensify in the zeal and

passion of your people
crying out to you to your

throne to see your hand move
on behalf of Lebanon to

uproot the evil doers, those
who've had such influence

and strongholds over the
land of Lebanon for decades,

even centuries, Lord, the
Father, you would uproot and

liberate the people of
Lebanon to come to know you

to have the freedom to call
upon you and, and have

relationship with you. And
Lord, to grow in

relationship with others in
the nations of the Middle

East, even with those here
in Israel, as their heart

longs for. Lord, we pray for
a spiritual breakthrough in

these days, for the
outpouring of your spirit,

upon the land of Lebanon
upon its people, and the

hearts of many would be
turned to you, even as your

word declares in Isaiah 29
will happen in a very short

time. Lord, we asked you
bring that time now May this

be the our Lord after
hearing all that has been

described, Lord, we asked
you for that spiritual

breakthrough now, on behalf
of Lebanon, we bless

Lebanon, the church in
Lebanon, we thank you for

our brothers and sisters.
They're in your shoes name

in just Jesus name. Amen.
Thank you both. Thank you

for your time and for
sharing so wonderfully

deeply with us about
Lebanon. I know many others.

So benefit from this time
and take it to prayer, I'm

sure in the days and months
ahead. So thank you both.

Can you imagine living three
kilometers from the Gaza

Strip, in a community where
when you hear a siren, you

know you have 15 seconds to
get to safety and that Hamas

a terrorist organization
dedicated to your country's

destruction is sending
rockets and incendiary

balloons armed with
explosive devices aimed at

your home, your children's
school and your fields.

Unfortunately, this has
become a reality of life for

residents of Kibbutz
alluvium. Today, we're going

to visit the brave people
living in this border

community to see how they're
coping with the recent

rocket and fire attacks.

I live from the kibbutz for
30 years, the security

situation has changed a lot
since then. In the first

years, it was a completely
pastoral and peaceful in the

last actually 18 years or so
since my youngest daughter

was born. We've started
having threats from rockets

from from Gaza when the bomb
threat was becoming more and

more severe, and the first
place that we was protected

against bombs were they
kindergardens We can't wait

until we hear a code read if
to know what to do, we spend

a lot of time preparing. And
we practice with the

children. They know that if
there's our code read when

they're on a walk, not do
dog. When they come to their

house, they know to do it
for if I'm caught between

one place and the other, and
there's a shelter there, and

I can go in and practically
it's very important to me.

That means we have to
provide children and

families with therapeutic
tools that they can then put

into practice when they are
in those safe rooms, that

it's not just a sense of
being completely helpless.

Okay, what do I do? How do I
cope with my stress? How do

I cope with all these
thoughts running through my

mind? It's gonna pass it's
gonna pass How do I calm

myself down? And then once
everything's clear, once I

go outside, again, am I
okay? Is she okay? Is he

okay? I'm in touch with my
family. Is everybody okay? I

have to get home, how do I
get home, it's it's people

having to understand how to
like map out their lives,

we've seen that the impact
has been much, much stronger

on children on families. Now
we're going through 24 hours

or 48 hours, or 400 500
pockets a days. And that is

something much, much harder
to cope with. Consequently,

symptoms reactions have also
been a lot lot harder. And

that's demanded from us to
also rethink how we give

support, how quickly we give
support. What is incredible,

and it amazes me every time
is to see people's coping

skills on on how they
function. with us. It's more

question of, Okay, this is a
situation it is hard, but we

can cope, we can deal with
it. And we also live in hope

that it will end it really
will end.

The Christian embassy, you
have our back, you help us

knowing that you support us
enables us to help more

people. And I really mean
that from the bottom of my

heart to see Christians and
Jews working together, fills

my heart fills my soul with
absolute joy, and hope. We

see miracles every day. But
we just have to know to open

our eyes to them and to
appreciate them. And for me,

this is America.

I want to personally thank
you for helping protect

lives here along the Gaza
border. Because of your

support, we have been able
to donate these bomb

shelters, firefighting
trailers, and all terrain

vehicles to this vulnerable
community in southern

Israel, and help bring a
sense of security to those

living so close to danger.
This was all made possible

because faithful Christian
donors have given to our

Israeli in crisis Fund,
which enables us to respond

in real time whenever
emergencies arise. So please

give today as we stand with
Israel on the front lines

and help them protect their
future in the promised land.