MEET PASTOR BASSEM

Our church is located in an area that was affected by the recent renewed violence. Some people wanted by the internal security forces were residing in nearby villages, and clashes happened during the search operations. Between 14 to 20 people were killed from ISF because of it, which in turn led to the massacres of Alawites, including civilians. Now, it seems that they were able to control the situation, but it is a very cautious calm. We feel that things can explode again at any moment.

The crisis led to a massive displacement of Alawite families in search of safer areas. Some of the displaced stayed with relatives. Some others rented a house in our area. The church felt compelled to help and we publicly communicated our desire to support the displaced.

All in all, about 250 people reached out to the church, and the relief team met with them and registered them. After, we gathered people in groups of 25 and started providing them with holistic programs including entertainment, games, as well as PSS-based activities during which people had the opportunity to open up, share their stories, and express their fears and worries.

In parallel, we provided them with food parcels and hygiene items. Many people expressed the need for medicine, which we were able to add to our response quickly. We were engaging the church’s youth to prepare the packages, and we sent them in groups to visit the displaced people who couldn’t come themselves, especially the sick and elderly.

Our aim was to create a culture of peacebuilding for the youth and the new generation. We recognize that this is the best response against violence. It was a great lesson for the youth, and a big testimony to the people, who were seeing how we raise our children to respect and love all human beings, even those from a different background, and to feel compassion for all who are suffering and in pain. It stood out even more in our context of sectarian violence and revenge massacres.

A lot of people were touched and decided to send their children to our teaching ministry. When children started attending, a genuine change happened in their lives. It would give them a safe place where they could just play and be creative and forget about the difficulties. They would go back home and share with their parents what they learnt and how happy they were. The leaders would also visit the children in their homes to meet and reassure the parents. In such a sensitive context, these visits made a huge difference, to help everyone overcome their fear and negative perceptions of each other. Thanks to this ministry, there were no longer Christians, Sunnis or Alawites in people’s mind. They became like one family and some of the displaced youngsters also started attending events around the theme of peacebuilding.

As a church, we have been having this kind of ministry and welcoming people for 13 years now. We are not taking a political side by helping Alawites today. What we are doing today with Alawites, we have done previously with Sunni families displaced by the civil war. Then we continued with vulnerable people from our area and their families. The church lived through different phases in which we served groups from all backgrounds. We have been helping all human beings who have been victims of this terrible civil war.

If we kept planting the seeds of favoritism and sectarianism, we ourselves will fall into a cycle that has no end. We need an initiator to extend his hand to others and embrace the two parties and bring them together. And we are very clear when we tell them that the only person who can do that is Jesus Christ.

After the situation calmed down, some families went back to their homes. Although they are still afraid that clashes might start again, they cannot afford rent, or they don’t want to be a burden on the relatives they were staying with. Also, people are afraid their homes might be robbed if they leave them empty.

Many others still cannot go back and to this day, new people are still coming to register with the church. So, we will keep on helping for as long as we are needed and able to support. We thank MERATH who stands alongside us and allows us to help the people. Without this help and alone as a church, we wouldn’t have been able to do all of that.

Although we are encouraged by the fruits of our ministry, spiritually and in terms of peacebuilding, what people hear and see in the news and on social media is still pouring gasoline on the fire. Not everyone is in favor of reconciliation, and many would not benefit from things calming down. This is why we need your prayers, for protection as we welcome anyone who suffers and testify to the hope that is in our Lord Jesus.