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-by Dean Miller
The headline for this article is somewhat of a timeless statement—and not in a good way. Chaos in the Middle East seems constant. This truth is not an indictment of the region’s people, their cultures, heritage, beliefs, or deep history; it is simply a fact of life for that area and by extension, for the world.
I have been fortunate enough to travel to several countries within that region, and all my visits have been wonderful. I’ve met incredible Christian people living faithful lives, and I have been encouraged by fruitful dialogues among different religious and tribal communities. I will never completely understand what drives much of the hatred, animosity, and anger among the different people groups. Anyone who is not from the region can understand only from a surface or intellectual level. But there is so much more that feeds into the deep, historic, proud, and chaotic lives that the people of the Middle East live out every day. Chaos doesn’t define them.
I say these things simply as a reminder that any problems, issues, concerns, or impacts these chaotic moments bring about shouldn’t distract us from remembering the innocent people, from all cultures within the region, who suffer. While most of the headlines you will read focus on governments, militias, oil, bombs, and regimes, let’s not forget about the hundreds of thousands of innocent people this chaos affects. These are people like us who simply desire to live out their lives in peace—people not involved in this conflict but who have chaos forced upon them. And when chaos strikes, basic human needs become scarce.
When a million people are forced to flee their homes—where do they go, and what do they do? Who will step into their lives and provide necessities and bring hope and healing to their dire situations?
Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) plays an integral role with the Baptist Forum for Aid and Development (BFAD), which has been in regular dialogue with churches and leaders within the region. And after several conversations, BGAV is committing $50,000 to help these churches provide the necessary aid for those who have been displaced and find themselves in harm’s way. BFAD has developed a two-pronged approach to get aid into the region, allowing local churches and organizations to provide not only basic necessities but also the more important message of hope and love found only through Jesus Christ. A portion of the funds will go to Thimar, our robust, long-term partner in Lebanon, while other funds will be directed to unions and conventions in neighboring countries who seek ways to support people in need.
No one wants chaos in our world; chaos is not what God intends for God’s people. But, when chaos occurs, it does create an opportunity for us to share Christ with those who are desperately seeking hope and peace. Join us in prayer for our brothers and sisters who will be serving in these spaces and for those directly affected by the chaos, as they hear about the One who brings true peace.
