MECC implemented a WASH campaign within its Cash for Work Program aiming at providing a temporary employment to unemployed people in Izraa and Sheikh Meskin in Dara’a.

As an aim to serve society, MECC team visited 1000 families in Al Mesmieh, in order to raise health awareness about Covid-19. The team provided all necessary information related to the virus transmission, the infection and ways to strengthen the immune system.

Three months following the Beirut Blast, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) pursues its disaster relief work on the field. Therefore, the Department of Service and Relief - Diakonia provided a new batch of relief supplies to the member Churches, to be distributed accordingly to the poorest and most in need families.

Dr. Michel Abs: esta experiencia es única en la región

El Comité Ecuménico para el socorro de Beirut celebró su reunión ordinaria virtual para hacer un seguimiento del proceso de socorro que el Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio (MECC) está dirigiendo en cooperación con representantes de las iglesias miembros, junto con un equipo de los diversos departamentos del Consejo.

As a part of its ongoing humanitarian work to develop health awareness among members of the society, the Middle East Council of Churches has carried out awareness-raising activities on how to prevent infectious diseases and to take precautions against the Coronavirus.

Dr. Michel Abs: this experience is unique in the region

The Ecumenical Committee for the relief of Beirut held its virtual regular meeting in order to follow up on the relief process that the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) is leading in cooperation with representatives of the Member Churches, along with a team from the council’s various departments. The meeting was chaired for the first time by Dr. Michel Abs, the new MECC Secretary General, who praised this Ecumenical experience.

El canal de televisión Charity TV dedicó un episodio sobre el Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio en el programa matutino "Hawa Al-Mahba", en el que arrojó luz sobre el mensaje del Consejo, sus programas y aspiraciones en varias áreas. El presentador del programa, Chárbel Zougheib, comenzó el episodio con una entrevista con el Secretario General Dr. Michel Abs, quien expuso su visión y sus proyectos futuros.

The Charity TV channel dedicated an episode about the Middle East Council of Churches in the morning Show “Hawa Al-Mahba” program, where they shed the light on the Council’s message, its programs and aspirations in several areas. The program's presenter, Charbel Zougheib, started the episode with an interview with the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs who discussed his vision and his future projects.

Dr. Michel Abs, el secretario general del MECC inició sus visitas oficiales a los presidentes del Consejo para agradecerles su confianza en elegirlo como secretario general por cuatro años. Su primera visita fue a Su Beatitud Bechara Pedro card. Rai en la sede del Patriarcado en Bkerke. Estuvo acompañado por el P. Gabriel Hachem, el Secretario General Adjunto y director del Departamento Teológico y Ecuménico, la Sra. Huguette Salameh, directora del Departamento de Comunicación y Relaciones Públicas, y la Sra. Nina Hallak, coordinadora del Departamento de Diaconía en Beirut.

A lady affected by the Beirut Blast, said in confused and bittersweet tears while receiving a box of aid offered by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) “I did not expect to receive cleaning products that would last me for 3 to 4 months, especially that I was not capable of, buying them myself”. In fact, since the 4th of August, this lady’s tears have been burning. She described the pain and despair that are dominating Beirut's people who, without individual initiatives and assistance of churches and civil societies, would have been neither helped nor supported in these tragic and brutal circumstances.

Dr. Michel Abs, the MECC Secretary General started his official visits to the council’s Presidents to thank them for their confidence in electing him as Secretary General for four years. Therefore, his first visit was to His Beatitude Mar Bechara Boutros Al Rahi at the Patriarchate headquarters in Bkerke. He was accompanied by Fr. Gabriel Hachem, the Associate Secretary General and director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department, Mrs. Huguette Salameh, director of the Communication and Public Relations Department, and Ms. Nina Hallak, coordinator of the Diakonia Department in Beirut.

In the framework of the last two appeals launched by the Middle East Council of Churches consequently to the Beirut Blast, the Diakonia department’s team provided a new batch of relief supplies to presidents in the member church to be distributed to the most vulnerable and damaged families in the Eastern Orthodox, Orthodox, Evangelical and Catholic Churches.

MECC implemented a training for 45 teachers and institute directors in Damascus, entitled “child protection”. This training aims to improve the teachers’ capacities to deal with children through better understanding of their emotions and thoughts depending on their age. In addition to raising awareness to wrong and common behavior with kids.

Con el fin de difundir la educación para la salud entre el mayor número posible de miembros de la sociedad, el Consejo de Iglesias de Oriente Medio (MECC) organizó una jornada de formación sobre concienciación sanitaria, en la que participaron veinte mujeres en Damasco y Damasco Rural. Durante los seis días de formación, los participantes conocieron las enfermedades más virales de la sociedad, sus causas, tratamiento y precauciones a tomar. Además de aprender cómo medir la presión arterial y un entrenamiento básico en primeros auxilios. Se dedicaron dos días más al apoyo psicológico, durante el cual las damas aprendieron sobre las habilidades de comunicación efectiva, el discernimiento, el pensamiento positivo, el manejo de los desafíos y el establecimiento de una meta y un plan para lograrlo.

With the aim of spreading health education among the largest possible number of society members, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) organized a training session about health awareness, in which twenty women participated in Damascus and Rural Damascus. During the six days training, the participants learned about the most viral diseases in society, their causes, treatment and precautions to take. In addition to learning the right ways to measure blood pressure and basic first aid training. An extra two days were dedicated to psychological support; During which the ladies learned more about effective communication skills, discernment, positive thinking, dealing with challenges and setting a goal, and a plan to achieve it.

A meeting was held today at the headquarters of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) in the presence of the MECC team with the Honorary Secretary General, Dr. Souraya Bechealany and the Tearfund committee director of Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen Karen Soerensen along with the regional director of the Middle East, Martin Leacm. The meeting took place to finalize the details and to set a starting date for an Emergency Humanitarian project between both partners.

With the aim of empowering poor and affected families and enhancing their ability to participate in the economic life, MECC supported the workers in the sector of producing, processing and retailing of dairy products in 17 different areas in Dara’a Governorate. MECC distributed fortified fodder to 500 cow breeders and established 4 mobile veterinary mobile clinics that provide all necessary medical services to livestock farmers including cows’ medications, vaccinations, calving, and artificial insemination.

Télé Lumière - Noursat dedicated a weekly segment for the Middle East Council of Churches every Thursday in "AL Nour Maana" show, to discuss the latest updates regarding the MECC appeal as well its relief and development projects in Beirut.

MECC continues its vocational trainings aiming to support young people and to help them integrate in the labor market. Two courses were organized in Rural Damascus: men hairdressing and sewing. 15 men participated in the men hairdressing course while 10 women enrolled in the sewing training. The participants were aged between 18 and 30 years old.