On August 4th, Therese was on the Balcony of her apartment with her 6-year-old granddaughter Julia. They were watching the flame rise from the port in Beirut. “I had the stove on, preparing dinner for my mother and sisters. I was enjoying some quality time with my granddaughter too. Lately, I’ve been more present at home due to the covid-19 lockdown and not being able to work as much.” As she tearfully continued Therese said, “When the noises got louder I knew something was wrong. I turned off the stove and ran to hold my granddaughter who was terrified.”
Therese talks about the few moments that they went through, feeling like they lasted a long time and were full of loss and chaos. “I found out hours later that my sister who was at home with us broke her thigh. My daughter and I carried Julia and ran downstairs trying to find refuge. We thought that a war had just started. My daughter Tania was barefoot and she ran over the glass. She is still visiting doctors to remove the splinters from her feet until this day” said Therese.
Therese and her family live close to one of the biggest hospitals in that area, but when they reached it they couldn’t get to the ER. It was hugely damaged and many of the doctors, nurses, and patients were injured too. That evening Therese came back to her home. The main door was wide open, glass windows and doors were shattered on the floor, and the furniture was broken.
As the Heart for Lebanon Team was assessing the damages of houses around that area, they met Therese and she asked for help. This was the beginning of a good relationship that our Team has built with Theresethrough many visits, prayers, and quality time sharing the Gospel with her. Her glass doors and windows were repaired within a week. She also received a food and hygiene portion along with cleaning supplies to help her family.
We’re so glad to have met Therese and her family to be able to show them Jesus’ love and His compassionate heart.
