Wars & rumours of wars…

Mark Smith reports on the recent trip of two senior Presbyterians to Lebanon, where they took part in a special conference of Christian women who are impacted by war.

“You will hear of wars and rumours of wars...” The words of Jesus, quoted by Matthew in his gospel are familiar to all. As we have probably entered into the second generation of people who did not live through what many call the Troubles, there are still many (too many) around the world, who are experiencing not just rumours of war, but war itself.

In April, Rev Dr Liz Hughes, the former convener of PCI’s Council for Global Mission, and Heather Clements, convener of the Council’s Global Mission committee, were invited to a country that is all too familiar with war – in a region that is experiencing an unrelenting conflict that is rarely off our news feeds.

The two senior Presbyterians were in Lebanon, taking part in a conference of Christian women who continue to be impacted by war and conflict. ‘The unheard voice: women’s persevering witness in war’ was organised by the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) – Europe, which PCI is a member of, and hosted by PCI’s partner in the region, the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL).

Taking place at a retreat in the hills surrounding Beirut, the conference was led by the current WCRC president, NESSL’s Rev Najla Kassab from Lebanon, and brought together women from Syria, Lebanon, and Transcarpathia in western Ukraine, along with Hungarian-speaking Reformed communities in central Europe. “Of the 24 participants who attended, some were pastors, or pastor’s wives, and others were women who were in leadership in their congregations,” Mrs Clements explained.

…the world needs to hear from women…who bear the weight of suffering, who keep everything together…

“For each of them, there was a real sense of loss – for some that meant the loss of family and friends, their home, church, or business. We heard of the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing war. For others, it was coping with Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, or surviving ISIS death squads in northern Syria, or militia groups in other parts of the country.

“For both of us, it was an incredible privilege to be with our sisters in Christ, worshipping and praying together, hearing about their hopes and fears, as they continue to live their lives, and live out their faith as best they can, under such harrowing circumstances.”

The two women took part in a seminar on reconciliation and also spoke about their own experiences of living through the early part of the Troubles as teenagers – and then as a doctor in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital’s A&E department (Mrs Clements), and as a minister in the north of the city, whose church had been fire-bombed (Dr Hughes).

In one of the group sessions, Dr Hughes made the following heartfelt notes from what the women shared:

“This cannot go on; this is not normal. We want peace, we want a proper life. The world needs to hear the unfiltered truth…it is unbearable…the world needs to hear from women who carry the burden…who bear the weight of suffering, who keep everything together…”

To those living in peace, never take it for granted. Never forget that you have what others can only pray for.

Dr Hughes said, “Over the four days, the conference served as a space for reflection, personal testimony, and witness to the striking resilience of women for whom there was, as Heather has mentioned, a genuine sense of loss.

“A recurring theme that we heard was the challenge they faced daily to stay strong for everyone around them –their husbands, children and members of their congregations. They saw their roles in their churches not just as jobs, but a calling and a service. As one woman said to us, ‘Who will tell the story of Christ if we leave?’”

She continued: “Each felt deep sadness for what conflict had done to their countries, family and church families. It was an incredible privilege to see just a glimpse of what God sees: the silent, resilient and courageous persevering strength that you often find in women hidden in the pages of the Bible. While we heard countless personal stories of heartache, there were also tales of strength and resilience too, like the Presbyterian Church in Syria that’s set up a medical clinic treating 3,000 people per month.”

On the final day of the conference the women were given the task of using art to reflect what had challenged and inspired them during their time together. Mrs Clements said, “Thankfully our group was blessed by having an accomplished artist in it.”

They took ‘hope’ as their theme in the form of a tree, which reflected Job 14:7–9: “For there is hope for a tree. If it is cut down, it will sprout again…at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant.”

“It was highly symbolic,” Mrs Clements explained. “Bent by the winds of war, its singed branches represented those affected by war, but not actually part of the conflict. The leaves lying on the ground were reflective of those who had died, with the leaves still on the tree suggesting those who remain. The tree, however, had fruit, because we still have hope.”

Worshipping together in Arabic, Armenian, Hungarian and English, their time in Lebanon has left its mark on the returning Presbyterians, who have kept in touch with many of those who attended the conference in a WhatsApp group. “They also gave us a salient message for those not living in conflict: ‘To those living in peace, never take it for granted. Never forget that you have what others can only pray for’. We will continue to pray for peace, and our sisters in Christ, in the hope that peace will come and we will meet again,” Mrs Clements said.

The women at the conference asked PCI to pray for peace, and also to pray for:

* Strength and resilience as they continue to carry the natural burdens of ministry – the burden of holding together family, work and caring for church and community members.

* The church, especially at times of Christian celebration.

* Their children who live with fear, and are often traumatised by their experiences.

* Those who are refugees and also for those who stay, grieving the loss of family, friends and fellow church members.

* For women’s voices to be heard loud and clear by the global church and by those in power.