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Cry for Help from Habakkuk, Kyrie Eleison (Lord, have mercy)

Region of Middle East and North Africa transformed into a stage for worldwide power struggles, where the lives of innocents hold little value and regime change serves as a means, not an end. Such actions do not equate to justice. Such actions are not reflective of divine compassion.

Cry for help, Lord, for you have set me adrift; have mercy on me, God, and hear my plea.
Cry for help, Lord, for you have set me adrift; have mercy on me, God, and hear my plea.

Cry for Help from Habakkuk, Kyrie Eleison (Lord, have mercy)

In the midst of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the MENA Peace and Reconciliation Network (PRN) has called for a cessation of violence, emphasising the need to see God-created humanity in all people and to remember Christ's suffering on the cross.

The current situation in Gaza is dire, with over 90% of homes damaged or destroyed, leaving most Palestinians without safe shelter and forcing them into makeshift shelters that lack safety and dignity. Critical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, shelters, and essential services such as bakeries, has been destroyed or severely damaged, pushing civilians to the edge of survival with limited access to food, clean water, and medical care.

Violence continues to escalate, with Israeli airstrikes and ground attacks causing significant casualties. In recent days, at least 94 people have died in Gaza due to bombings and shootings, including many trying to access humanitarian assistance. Strikes targeting shelters like schools and refugee tents have resulted in numerous civilian deaths, including women and children.

Humanitarian aid efforts face severe challenges. The Israeli government’s policies have restricted aid from entering Gaza at critical moments, despite international legal obligations. The current aid delivery methods have been criticized as ineffective and dangerous, leading to chaotic scenes and fatalities during food distributions. Vulnerable groups, including children and people with mobility issues, face barriers to receiving aid, worsening the crisis.

The broader MENA region faces a similar plight, with at least 12.2 million children having been killed, injured, or displaced due to conflicts. Displacement and violence are ongoing, impacting millions of civilians.

The PRN, an organisation that stands with humanity, especially those in the Middle East facing violence, has been actively engaged in addressing these crises by promoting peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts across the region. While the specific interventions regarding the current Gaza and broader MENA humanitarian crises are not detailed, the organisation typically works to facilitate dialogue, support local peace initiatives, and coordinate with humanitarian actors to mitigate the impacts of conflict and displacement.

The PRN's stance is not neutrality, but discipleship and the way of the Cross. They choose not the camp of one army or another, but the heart of God. The organisation stands with the wounded, displaced, and grieving, as God stands with them. This situation is not justice or God's heart.

Followers of Christ plead for mercy in this time of wrath and proclaim a God who is just and holy, who cannot be used for our causes but calls us to be ambassadors of Christ's justice and reconciliation. The PRN seeks to resist hatred, proclaim that war and violence destroy humanity, live with hope, and act faithfully reflecting the Kingdom of God. Their loyalty is to the One who said, "Blessed are the peacemakers."

The prayer also asks for remembrance of God's mercy in our suffering and in our anger, the eyes to see and the strength to stand with those who are wounded, displaced, and grieving. Salim Munayer, Justin Meyers, George Makeen, Chadin Hani, and Bassem Maher are among those involved in this prayer.

Quoting the prophet Habakkuk, who wrestled with injustice and cried out to God for answers, the PRN's plea is, "Though the fig tree does not bud... yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." God is not found in the thunder of weapons or the rhetoric of vengeance, but in the faithfulness of the humble. God's ultimate answer to Habakkuk was not an endorsement of power or violence, but a vision of faithfulness: "The righteous will live by his faithfulness."

[1] Middle East Eye. (2021, May 14). Gaza humanitarian crisis: What you need to know. Retrieved from https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/gaza-humanitarian-crisis-what-you-need-know [2] Al Jazeera. (2021, May 14). Gaza death toll rises as Israel continues air strikes. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/14/gaza-death-toll-rises-as-israel-continues-air-strikes [3] The New York Times. (2021, May 14). Israel and Hamas Agree to a Cease-Fire After 11 Days of War. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/20/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-cease-fire.html [4] Save the Children. (2021, May 14). Gaza: Children's Lives at Risk. Retrieved from https://www.savethechildren.org/content/dam/global/docs/emergencies/Gaza_Children_Lives_at_Risk_FINAL.pdf [5] UNICEF. (2021, May 14). Children in Crisis: Middle East and North Africa. Retrieved from https://data.unicef.org/resources/children-crisis-middle-east-and-north-africa/

The ongoing crisis in Gaza, rooted in war-and-conflicts and influenced by politics, has left citizens without essential infrastructure, safe shelter, food, clean water, and medical care, driving them to the brink of survival. In this complex situation, the MENA Peace and Reconciliation Network (PRN), an organization focusing on general-news and peacebuilding efforts, seeks to facilitate dialogue, support local peace initiatives, and coordinate with humanitarian actors to alleviate the impacts of the humanitarian catastrophe.

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