B e i r u t / B e r l i n – The Baptists of Lebanon have called on fellow believers throughout the world to pray for peace in their region. Following the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Hisbolla militia in Lebanon, Israel answered with massive reprisals. Attacked were – among others - the airport at Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, supply depots and the main roads to Syria. A number of people were killed. Nabil Costa (Beirut), director of the Baptist-allied Lebanese Society for Education and Social Development (LSESD), condemned the violence: “Innocent civilians have lost their lives and considerable destruction of the country’s infrastructure has occurred.”

He notes that Baptists from Atlanta, Georgia and Forney, Texas are presently working at a children’s camp in a Beirut suburb in the vicinity of his organisation’s campus: “All are well and making the best of the situation.” Costa hopes that “God might intervene and give wisdom to the powers that be that they might seek long-term peaceful solutions.” According to him, the world is presently preoccupied with the war against terrorism, which in reality is only a symptom. Yet this struggle has little relation to the real, underlying issues. Costa is worried that the world no long cares about Lebanon. “Yet we as Christians should seek our Father's intervention, for our Father who is in heaven listens to our prayers.” Costa calls for prayer for true peace and security, and for a safe return of the Americans to their country.

In Lebanon the LSESD supports a Christian school, the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary and a publishing house. Lebanon has 27 Baptist congregations with a total membership of roughly 2.000.

Claas: God can solve seemingly insurmountable conflicts

Regina Claas, Chairperson of the Baptist World Alliance’s Commission for Human Rights and Religious Freedom and General-Secretary of Germany’s Union of Evangelical-Free Churches, has also appealed for prayer on the Mideast: “Through faith in the living God we trust in God’s power to one day solve even the seemingly insurmountable conflicts in the Middle East.” The Baptists of Germany acknowledge their “special connections” both with Judaism and with the Baptists of Lebanon. “In this time of need we want to support our brothers and sisters and the civil population in the whole region with our prayers and beseech God for wisdom for the political decision-makers.”