World Refugee Crisis
Each year, June 20 is designated as World Refugee Day. I believe it's a day when Christians around the world should pray for peace in the affected countries and ask God to send his people to help demonstrate the love of Christ to the refugees!
According to the United Nations, there are now more than 45 million displaced people in the world--15.4 million of them are refugees. Nearly 29 million have been forced to flee within their own borders.
A UN report released today says the global refugee crisis is the worst since 1994. More unaccompanied children are seeking assylum than ever before.
Almost half of all refugees are children. They're in desperate need of our help and prayers.
Fifty-five percent of all refugees last year were from five countries--all Muslim nations embroiled in war or violent conflict:
-- Afghanistan
-- Somalia
-- Iraq
-- Syria
-- Sudan
17-year-old Syrian Refugee Faraj.
I recently returned from visiting Syrian refugees in Lebanon's Bekka Valley where I met 17-year-old Faraj, his mother, 15-year-old brother Mohammed, and little sisters Heba and Suzanne.
Faraj nearly lost his life when a rocket sailed into his livingroom and exploded. He was thrown from a second story balcony. His left arm was broken, hot shrapnel ripped into the right side of his chest and back, and he can barley walk.
Syrian Refugees Mohammed (left) & Faraj (right).
Faraj's brother Mohammed is still traumatized by their father's death. Mohammed was sitting in the car beside his father when a sniper's bullet struck his dad in the head. The bloodied body fell into Mohammed's lap.
And Faraj's 19-year-old brother has been missing for more than 18 months. He took up arms along with the Free Syria Army and family members don't know if he was captured or killed in the conflict.
CBN is partnering with Heart For Lebanon to see that the needs of Faraj and his family are being met. We're providing them with monthly food rations and medical treatment.
And it's not just Faraj and his family. Heart for Lebanon and CBN are helping other Syrian refugee families. Each of those I met have experienced hardship, suffering, and death.
And we thought we had problems.
Keep praying and helping!