In a WhatsApp message from a friend in Beirut, I read: "No one knows what will happen next. Last night, eight people were killed on our city's seafront promenade. They had come as refugees and felt safe there. There is no end in sight, and tensions remain high. School is very important for the children. The day before yesterday, I heard that schools were supposed to reopen today, but this is not a nationwide decision. Even in our neighbourhood, which is considered “fairly safe”, schools remain closed. An end to the war and a peace agreement would be the first steps. Unfortunately, I have to say that the children are suffering greatly from this (and other wars). The fears, the uncertainty, the stress, lack of concentration, internet use (children often spend the whole day in front of screens!), overwhelmed parents and teachers... It’s really a disaster. We are still a long away from normal life. That is why I do not know, or will talk to the sisters, what the priorities are at the moment. Yes, Meinolf, I do not know what else to say. I am truly at a loss for words, but we are trying to live in closeness and brotherhood at every moment." This evening, too, I go to God with all this suffering. I can entrust everything to Him.
