Melbourne - Coptic Church launches fundraising drive for Lebanese communities





Melbourne Copts Pray for Lebanon

Coptic Church launches fundraising drive for Lebanese communities

Monday, 10 August 2020 The Coptic Orthodox Church Diocese of Melbourne Management

Committee has sent prayers and sympathies to the people of Lebanon as thousands of Copts prayed for loved ones at services across the state this weekend.

Already grappling with Coronavirus and economic hardship, the people of Lebanon were shaken by two huge port explosions last Tuesday evening in the capital city, Beirut, that killed more than 150 people and injured thousands more.

“The Melbourne community of 10,000 Coptic families sends our love and prayers of strength and recovery to every person in Lebanon during this appalling time, especially our fellow Copts,” said the Vicar General of the Diocese of Melbourne for the Coptic Church, Fr Daniel Ghabrial.

“Our worldwide Coptic Church includes about 4000 people in Lebanon and several members of our own Melbourne congregation have family and friends in the region. They are worried for them and all the Lebanese people who have struggled financially with the collapse of their banking system and physically with the same coronavirus that is devastating our Melbourne families.”

An Australian Copt who spent years in Lebanon, Tina, watched news footage in dismay as the streets she walked everyday are shown demolished.

“My neighbour told me that my old apartment building was completely destroyed - 20 stories high with shatterproof glass yet all its windows were completely blown in and everything ruined,” she reports.

“Our nearby St George Hospital has been destroyed. Last night, many slept in their face masks out of fear of the toxic chemicals in the air. They are heartbroken and ask ‘how much more can we endure?’”

The Church’s community is also providing financial support through a new fundraising campaign today launched by its Australian-registered Coptic Hope Charity established in 2016. Formed by a group of volunteers, the Coptic Hope Charity aims to improve the lives of the underprivileged by enabling access to life essentials to the poor.

To make a donation to the Coptic Hope Charity’s Lebanon fundraising campaign –

• Visit https://coptichope.org.au/     select the donate button and ‘Emergency Appeal’ from drop down menu

• Make an EFT to Coptic Hope Charity Commonwealth Bank BSB: 063 159 Account: 10686722 Ref: LEBANON

• Email [email protected]   for any other donations or enquiries.


 














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