Letter from Near East School of Theology

To all the Friends of NEST:



All my personal friends who overwhelmed me with their love and expressions of concern and assurance of prayer.



Thank you for your prayers, for your concern, love, and for your e-mails of assurance that you are remembering us, and to those who called by telephone our deep appreciation. Indeed we need your prayers. Indeed we need the world to move and comprehended the depth of the tragic situation in which we suddenly found ourselves in.



Dear Friends, non of us agreed on the kidnapping of the two Israeli soldiers, rather all have condemned any aggressive activity. But none of us could believe that what Israel has done and continue to do was/is only in response to that but a preplanned operation intended to destroy Lebanon and level its infrastructure to the ground preventing any way to relief the wounded, to bury the dead, to pull those who were safely in their homes form the rubbles. Attacking every truck of food or medicine. Destroying electricity fuel stations, three hospitals, destroying fifty five bridges, the airport and seaports and cutting Lebanon into pieces. Reducing areas of the suburb of Beirut, Baalbeck, Tyre and many many villages into a pile of rubbles.



Dear Friends, we are stunned by what we hear about “It is not time to request cease fire”, “Israel is given green light for another week or maybe two weeks”, or that, “The USA is speeding the sending of intelligent bombs to Israel”, and the like. In one week or two what would be left of Lebanon? Does Israel need more bomb we all wonder! Already in government reports 700,000 displaces, 1500 wounded, 350 killed, 76 fuel stations bombed, 55 bridges destroyed, countless factories, and dairy and chicken farms have been leveled to the ground. And the Israeli children keep sending gifts to the Lebanese children (see attached). And we are told that we are still in the beginning.



Friends, today I met a woman on the street and she shouted to me saying” “Why god made us born here?” I know God is grieving with all those who are grieving. I believe God’s heart is being deeply saddened by our aggression and violence. May we all be forgiven!



To you, all our friends we express our deepest appreciation.



In Christ,



Mary Mikhael



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Mary Mikhael
President
Near East School of Theology
P.O. Box 13-5780 Chouran
Beirut 1102-2070
Lebanon
Tel.: 961-1-354194 / 961-1-346708
Fax: 961-1-347129
e-mail: president@theonest.edu.lb
website: www.theonest.edu.lb