God Will Be Their God
<Jordan> Refugee Influx Status
Palestinian refugees: More than 2 million Palestinian refugees settled in Jordan during the Arab-Israeli wars in 1948, 1967, and 1973. Since then, Jordan has been relatively open to refugee influxes. As a result, many of them have acquired Jordanian nationality and maintain a relatively stable life, now making up more than 50% of Jordan’s population.
Iraqi refugees: These refugees arrived due to the wars in Iraq in 1991 and 2003, as well as the rise of the armed group Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014. Compared to other refugees, they have settled relatively well in Jordanian society, with many running businesses due to the wealth they brought with them at the time of their arrival.
Syrian refugees: These refugees fled due to the Syrian civil war, which began in March 2011, and their numbers are estimated to be around 930,000. Many struggle to survive through begging or low-wage labor. A significant issue is the lack of infrastructure for children and youth education.
Jordan Takes the Lead in Providing Quality Jobs for Both Refugees and Host Communities
In 2021, according to data released by the Syrian government and the United Nations Refugee Agency, the Jordanian government issued 62,000 work permits to Syrians. This is the highest number of work permits issued in a single year since the system for Syrian refugees was introduced.
Jordan currently hosts 760,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the United Nations Refugee Agency. Of these, 670,000 are from Syria, making Jordan the second-largest host country of Syrian refugees per capita after Lebanon. Since 2016, Syrian refugees have been allowed to work in various sectors of the Jordanian economy.
By implementing inclusive policies that provide refugees and host communities with opportunities for quality jobs, Jordan has been at the forefront of implementing the Global Compact on Refugees.
<Lebanon> A Quarter of the Country’s Population Consists of Syrian Refugees
With a population of about 6.7 million, Lebanon has become the country with the highest number of refugees per capita in the world—one refugee for every four people. In addition to social tensions between citizens and refugees, the country has borne billions of dollars in costs. Around 1.5 million Syrian refugees, accounting for about a quarter of Lebanon’s population, have settled there.
In 2011, Lebanon classified refugees crossing the Syrian border as “displaced persons,” emphasizing that Lebanon was not their final destination. The country avoided setting up official refugee camps, treating them instead as “people who would soon return,” and has continually sought, at a national level, to send them back to their home country.
Unlike other neighboring countries, the Lebanese government does not officially recognize Syrian refugees as formal refugees due to its sectarian political system (power-sharing among Christians, Sunni Muslims, and Shia Muslims), its historical experience with Palestinian refugees, and the complex relationship between Syria and Lebanon.
As of 2020, about 70% of Syrian refugees lacked legal residency, facing threats to their survival and living as one of the most vulnerable, unprotected groups. In contrast, Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are recognized as refugees and have access to free basic education in UN-supported schools. However, Syrian refugee children often either grow up illiterate without access to education during their school years, or, in some cases, manage to continue their studies, resulting in a split reality. There are about 500,000 Syrian school-age children registered as refugees in Lebanon, but the actual number is estimated to be around 660,000. For the 2018–2019 academic year, only about 42% of them were enrolled in school.
Lebanon Plans to Forcibly Repatriate Syrian Refugees Due to Economic Crisis
In October 2022, Lebanon, facing its worst economic crisis in history, announced plans to repatriate Syrian refugees. The government argued that reducing the massive costs of hosting refugees would help overcome the economic crisis. However, the United Nations opposed the plan, citing concerns for the safety of refugees returning to a war-torn country.
Over the past three years, Lebanon’s currency has lost more than 90% of its value, and soaring prices have worsened conditions not only for locals but also for the refugees, most of whom live in extreme poverty. Recently, an increasing number of refugees and some Lebanese citizens have been risking their lives by boarding illegal boats in a desperate attempt to reach Europe.
》Scripture Prayer
Read and meditate on the following passage.
Ruth 1:16, 3:18, 4:13-14, 16-17(NIV)
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
18 Then Naomi said, “Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today.”
13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.
14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!
16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him.
17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Let us pray for the Palestinian, Iraqi, and Syrian refugees in Jordan, as well as those from Yemen, Sudan, and Somalia. Each group receives different levels of support depending on Jordan’s policies and economy. Let us also pray that God’s mercy and help will always be with them so that He may truly be their God.
2. Lebanon is facing a serious economic crisis and is now trying to send back a quarter of its population of Syrian refugees. Syria is in ruins, with no clear future, and Lebanon is also struggling with poverty. Many refugees have nowhere to go. Let us pray and trust that God will continue His work of salvation for Lebanon and its refugees and will not stop until His plan is fulfilled.
3. With so many wars and conflicts in the Middle East, peace and safety can feel impossible. But let us pray that God’s grace, which forgives sin and gives new life, will be with the nations and people of the Middle East.
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