By Bob Allen
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has sent $15,000 to field personnel in Macedonia and Lebanon to assist with humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees, leaders of the Decatur, Ga.-based Fellowship announced Sept. 10.
An estimated 4.1 million Syrians have fled their homeland during four years of civil war, creating the worst refugee crisis since the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Most are in neighboring countries of Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan but now are spilling into Europe.
CBF Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter said the Fellowship is well-positioned for long-term response through its field personnel and ministry partners in the Middle East and southeast Europe.
“The Fellowship is providing lifeline support to refugees making brave and dangerous journeys into foreign places,” Paynter said. “For those of us who cannot be on the front line of response, we pray fervently for peace in broken places, for the safety of weary travelers and for their neighbors to welcome the stranger.”
CBF sent $5,000 to field personnel Alicia and Jeff Lee in Skopje, Macedonia, to support their partnerships with local non-governmental organizations meeting immediate needs of refugees traveling through the country.
Another $10,000 went to Chaouki and Maha Boulos in Lebanon, who have been responding to the Syrian refugee crisis since 2011. Currently they are feeding nearly 500 Syrian refugee individuals and families in Lebanon, as well as providing emergency food support to families inside Syria through a ministry partner.
CBF Global Missions Coordinator Steven Porter said the efforts highlight the Fellowship’s commitment to long-term presence with field personnel and local partners in addressing problems like the Syrian refugee crisis.
“Your Cooperative Baptist field personnel have been serving these same families for years on the border between Lebanon and Syria, in other areas of the Middle East and in Europe as violence drives families away from their homes and support systems,” Porter said. “One of the great benefits of CBF Global Missions’ commitment to long-term presence is that we have longstanding ministries and local partners already in place.”
Donations to support the CBF Syrian Refugee Response may be made online at www.cbf.net/syria or by mailing a check payable to “CBF” with Acct. 17000 in the memo line to: Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, P.O. Box 102972, Atlanta, GA 30368-2972.