Syrian Refugees in need of food, water, medicines: Pope’s Special Envoy

November 13, 2012: Pope’s envoy to a special mission to Lebanon, Cardinal Robert Sarah, President of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council “Cor Unum, visited Lebanon from 7 to 10 and just returned to Rome. During his visit, he met the Syrian refugees, people displaced by the conflict and the heads of the local Church. During the meeting, he also discussed the projects to be financed with the donation of one million dollars that Pope Benedict XVI donated for the tormented Syrian population. While speaking to Vatican Radio, the Cardinal said that he met the President of the Republic of Lebanon, who was very happy with this initiative of the Holy Father and that this initiative has seen the continuation of his visit to Lebanon. Even the local church has been very touched by this mission desired by the Holy Father on the spot to study what we can do to help the people of Syria.
When asked about what has impressed him the most in his meeting with Syrian refugees in Lebanon, he said that ‘What is very touching is that the fields have no water, no light, no sanitation and the Syrian people this is composed largely of women and children.
I was really touched to see a woman with a baby born four months ago, he told me, "Take it, take it!", Just to be able to save him from this situation: see a woman with her baby, crying for help. Then there was another woman, a Muslim, all veiled, she asked for help and when we did, she started crying. When we asked her why she was crying and she said, "You have treated me like a human being; I found that my dignity, the dignity that I never found in my religious community."
When asked about what the Syrian refugees are in need of today, Cardinal Sarah said that ‘they need food, medicines, water, electricity. Soon it will be winter and then they also need clothes and heating. We tried with Caritas Lebanon, at least for a few moments, to give something that will be useful for them.
About a million dollars donation offered by the Pope, the Cardinal said that it’s a small drop, when you see the need. But it was a gift really appreciated by the people. We gave priority to Syria because within the country are more than two million displaced people.
For Syria we gave 700 thousand dollars and other Caritas - Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq - the remaining 300 thousand. We are also requesting other charitable organizations of the Church to increase their generosity because we know that war can cause other refugees and therefore there will be increased need for help.
Asked about the continuing conflict, Cardinal Sarah said that it does not seem to be resolved in the short term, because both the government and the rebels are determined to win, everyone wants to win and, thus, does not stop the war. We hope that the international community can intervene in order to discuss and bring peace to this country.
‘If the international community listens to the voice of the Holy Father and decides to sit down to discuss, we can find a solution. This means that not only the Syrians, but the international community is determined to help the people to find peace through discussion and dialogue.