I saw a peace that was unarmed, but fortunately not disarming!

“Sir, do you have a comic book or a children’s book?” Charbel asked a humanitarian worker from Caritas-Lebanon. This 7-year-old boy continues to live in Rmeich with his family despite, the atrocities of the bombings and the violence of the fighting. In fact, in these border villages ravaged by bombings and destruction, Charbel’s family, like many other Christian families, is enduring a silent tragedy and a human drama. They have refused to leave because they know that the day they leave their village, it will be completely devastated. Their homes will be mined, the century-old church gutted, and their lands burned. They have chosen to stay, to resist peacefully, to hold fast to their faith in Jesus Christ. They live isolated from the rest of the country, without hospitals, health clinics, stores, electricity, and the Internet. But nothing can dampen the determination of these men, women, and even these children! For them, the land is not just a place to live; it is a legacy passed down from generation to generation, a living memory shaped by the prayers, traditions, sacrifices, and blood of their ancestors. Every stone, every olive tree, every bell tower tells a story of faithfulness and deeper roots. Their courage is admirable, their witness is astonishing, and their faith evokes Psalm 46: “God is our refuge and strength, a ever-present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even if the earth should tremble, even if the mountains should crumble into the depths of the sea.” Their lives are a true symbol of peaceful, spiritual resistance and the power of hope! In their eyes, one can see the determination to protect a human and religious heritage that transcends their very existence. A determination to safeguard their humanity, to avoid succumbing to violence, and to refuse to be overcome by discouragement and fear.

These Lebanese people wage a daily struggle—without weapons, ammunition, or missiles. Their struggle is one of human dignity, of attachment to the land, and of fidelity to a faith that enables them to walk through “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23), and illuminates the darkest moments of their lives. Amid the ruins, they remain the guardians of hope and of a sacred presence. They are holding out, but they need our solidarity. They are in need of everything: drinking water, food, basic necessities, hygiene kits, medical care, and medicines. The situation in Lebanon calls for a mobilization of the international conscience. Behind the numbers and statistics lie anguished faces, shattered dreams, and generations whose future hangs on the hope of a return to peace. Now more than ever, we need to support innocent civilians who are unjustly perishing on the altar of the economic and political calculations of the great powers. Let us stand with our Lebanese brothers and sisters! Let us support their struggle for a peace that is both unarmed and disarming; let us support their hope and their perseverance! Sr Mirna Farah