On August 4, 2020, at 6:07 PM, thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate unlawfully stored at Beirut port exploded in what is known as one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in history, leaving one-third of the capital city crippled.
The Beirut Blast, which remains unresolved to date, left 218 dead, 7,000+ injured, and 300,000+ homeless. The blast came at a time when Lebanon is facing multiple crises over the past few months: Civil riots, economic meltdown, monetary restrictions, pandemic lockdowns, curfews, and political unrest.
Now, one year later, the investigators have still not pinpointed the officials responsible for this blast amidst local and international calls for justice (Click to see Human Rights report).
Following the blast, the Bible Society in Lebanon launched a global campaign amongst its partners entitled “Reconstruct your Home based on God’s Word” to help families reintegrate the Bible back into their lives and homes. In partnership with several churches and NGOs, about 11,400 Scriptures were provided to families whose homes were totally or partially destroyed. The project also included repair works for the Bible Society Center, studios, and Downtown Bookshop, which were partially damaged.
Now a year later, the Patriarch of the Maronite Church, Cardinal Bechara Rai, presided over a commemoration Prayer Mass for the families of the victims, along with representation from all Christian Churches in the East. The Bible Society published a 16-page Scriptural portion in Arabic entitled Between the Tower of Babylon, Pentecost, and Beirut in collaboration with the [Catholic] Biblical Federation and endorsement of the Church authorities to be distributed before, during, and after the commemoration events. “We felt the urgency to offer a message of hope from the Bible to a traumatized city,” said Dr. Mike Bassous, General Secretary of the Bible Society. A small Bible Society delegation attended and participated in the limited-invitation events.
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