Since 2011, armed conflict between government supporters, rebels, and the Islamic State in Syria has resulted in one of the deadliest civil wars in modern history. Over 250,000 lives have been lost in the fighting, and a staggering 4.5 million families have been displaced from their homes. Refugees have fled to all corners of the continent with some able to seek sustainable sanctuary in Western Europe. Millions of others retreated into the desolate fringes of Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey.
Over the last four years, 1,000,000 Syrians have taken to the Bekaa Valley, a freezing passageway connecting Damascus and Beirut, to construct makeshift cities in an effort to wait out the fighting before returning home.
Play the following video [4:10].
Freezing and Fighting for Aid: Syrian Refugees in Lebanon
In June of this year, after four years of displacement, one of the very first signs of restoration took place as 300 refugees returned to Syria from Lebanon. Thousands more are eagerly awaiting approval from Syrian authorities, despite knowing that little to nothing from their former lives will be there to greet them.
- Think about your most prized possessions. What would be the most difficult things to give up if you were suddenly torn from your home? (Answers may include cell phones, cars, clothes, or sentimental items.)
- What if you had to choose between all those possessions and your relationships? Would you be willing to live in a situation like the one in Lebanon in order to maintain your relationships? (Instruct your students to ponder this question internally rather than responding aloud.)
Often, we allow our possessions to become more important than the people we love. In today’s lesson, we will learn about one man who had to make a difficult choice between his possessions and relationships. Let’s take a look.
Additional Resources:
What’s Happening in Syria?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/16979186
Syrians Trickle Home from Lebanon, but Most Stay Put
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-lebanon-syria-refugees/several-hundred-syrian-refugees-in-lebanon-begin-returning-to-syria-idUSKBN1JO1AZ
