Dearest Friends,
The following document was created over many hours of conversation in English and Arabic. It is the clearest statement that I can give you about the work here in the north of Lebanon. Please take the time to read it so you can better pray for their work….our work as we are a team.
In Jesus, Linda
SALT AND LIGHT MINISTRY
Salt and Light is a Lebanese ministry that serves the people in the north of Lebanon. Their purpose is to make disciples of all people, whether Lebanese or Syrian. Their leader, Mahfood, says that he wants to see God how accomplish Matthew 28: 19-20 in their work. Whatever type of ministry, they are doing, they always take the opportunity to tell people about Jesus. For example, Mahfood was invited to a meeting with Lebanese generals and other army officials. They told him that they could see that the Salt and Light ministry had a pure purpose. While he was at the meeting, he was able to tell them about Jesus and give them Bibles. Mahfood always shares his own testimony with the people so they can see how God worked in his life.
These friends have been working together for a long time, even before the Syrian Crisis began. Previously, they had a different name for their ministry, but because of past problems with the leadership, a new beginning was needed. The old leader sadly started to work for himself and not for God.
They have a puppet team whose name is “Joy, Love and Peace” and each year they tell thousands of children about Jesus and his hope. Sat and Light also provides winter supplies and boxes of food for Syrian refugees and Lebanese families directly affected by the Syrian Crisis. They do home visits, host medical mission teams and run an educational center for Lebanese and Syrian children. The ministry has also projects that include offering clothes to people, gifts of Bibles to the interested and committed ones and provides medicine for the people with chronic diseases. Since the medicine in Syrian was free, many refugees cannot afford the medication that they now must buy. The ministry team also meets at a house fellowship and leads two other small groups in discovering the truths in the Bible. Mahfood said that he strongly believes that the best way to share the Gospel in this area and see God growing disciples is through house groups. Again, in everything they do, they are telling people about Jesus.
The Syrian Crisis has pushed more than a million refugees into Lebanon. This is a great opportunity to for Salt and Light ministry to show them God’s love. Many Syrians are hearing about Jesus for the first time. As individuals, they are discovering how to become a new creation in Christ.
This ministry has both short term and long term goals for these people. In the short term, they want to meet their immediate needs for the body and the soul, feeding hungry people. That opens the door for sharing the Gospel with them and leads to the development of a personal relationship with God. Their long term goal is to see God forming among Syrians and Lebanese people churches, full of believers who want to serve others and help call others to faith. (2nd Timothy 2:2). They have seen many Muslims come to the faith in Jesus Christ, but revealing their identities would threaten their lives.
If you are living in the West, you may be asking how you could help Salt and Light ministry to reach these goals. Most important thing you can to do for them is to pray, asking God to give them great wisdom. Please tell other people about the needs that ministry has. You could choose a particular project and help meet those needs.
Salt and Light works in partnership with friends from the West who provide counsel and advice. This way, because they work as a team, they are stronger and wiser. The Bible tells us that it is a beautiful thing when brothers and sisters in Christ dwell in unity. As they serve others, doors open so that they can tell broken and hurting people about Jesus Christ who is their greatest need. Truly, these friends are unified in their efforts to reach Syrian refugees and Lebanese people with the wonderful news of God’s rescue plan.
“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too”.
-2 Corinthians 1:5-