Beirut: Explosion victims are still reeling from the blast

My heart is heavy as I write to you today.

So many people’s lives have been completely destroyed by the deadly explosion that happened in Beirut, Lebanon, on Tuesday. Demolished buildings. Streets littered with debris. One glance at the news will show you the devastation left behind.

At last count, the explosion killed 135 people, injured more than 4,000, and left as many as 300,000 people homeless. According to the city’s governor, half of Beirut’s buildings are damaged. These families were already struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic and a shaky economy … but now they have nothing.

The blast was so powerful that it could be felt 150 miles away, and one of our partners is headquartered just two miles from where the explosion took place. They run a preschool for refugee children whose families have fled to Lebanon. I’ve been there myself and have seen the incredible work that they do for these kids. It’s hard to picture that bright, cheerful place in the state it’s in now.

The below security camera footage shows the exact moment the blast hit the preschool, shattering windows and throwing furniture everywhere.

“The building has structural damage, stuff is strewn everywhere, and windows are broken,” our partner said. Fortunately, no one was at the preschool at the time of the explosion, and all the children and their families are safe. Several of their homes were damaged though, and one teacher’s home was completely destroyed.

The staff are traumatized, our partner said. One cried for three hours straight.

Please join me in praying for the staff at the preschool and the families of the children. They’ve already been through so much as refugees … and now this, on top of a global pandemic!

“I don’t know how we will overcome this,” one of the teachers said.

One thing is certain — they can’t overcome it alone.

Will you give today to help these people and others affected throughout Beirut? Our partners have a network of churches across the city, and they are already taking action by praying with families and starting on home repairs.

Your $50 gift will provide emergency aid like food, clean water, medical care for those injured in the blast, and more.

So many people in Beirut have lost everything. Their homes … their jobs … even their family members. They don’t know what’s ahead or how to get through this.

Please do what you can today to help in this terrible tragedy.

Provide emergency relief