Since February 14, date of the assassination of the former prime minister, Rafik Hariri, the political situation is in effervescence. The opposition to the government and to the Syrian military presence demonstrated in free and massive fashion in the streets, in particular on March 14 when over a million Lebanese (25% of the total population of the country!) called for the withdrawal of the occupation forces and for free elections. The government resigned, then was re-established, then resigned again. A provisional government may be composed in the days to come of "wise men" who are not candidates for the elections. The Syrian troops, who have already partially withdrawn from the country, must completely leave the country by the end of April, in any case, before the upcoming elections planned for May.
Thanks for praying with us that this process might take place peacefully and that the various political groups might be united for a better common future for the country.
How does this affect our work?
Most of the demonstrations took place in the city center, far from our neighborhood. With the exception of general strike days, we were able to open the school and the dispensary normally. Certain Syrian workers from our neighborhood became the targets of aggressive ostracism. Many of them, including certain patients of our dispensary, have left Lebanon. The population of the shantytown does not feel directly involved in calls for change coming from the political opposition, the latter composed for the most part from the more affluent and educated social classes. Our people however are the first ones to aspire to a better future and to more social justice.