Although the archbishop is skeptical that the ruling party will allow the 2023 vote to be fair, the Church has been encouraging everyone to register and to try and change the country through the ballot box. The worst that can happen, he adds, is for the ruling party to use the violence and instability as an excuse to postpone the elections indefinitely.

"To be honest, even I am scared. Fear has taken the best out of us. But I will not stop preaching the Gospel, I will not stop winning souls for Christ, because that is my calling."

"We make sure the children get an education, from primary school even, if possible, to university. This is key to defeating Boko Haram. When people have training to secure their livelihood, then they don’t go and kill people."

“Thanks to the help of ACN benefactors, priests and religious can offset shortages of food, and basic hygiene and medical products felt by many of the internally displaced people. Furthermore, they can provide psychological and spiritual support to all those who are traumatized from losing their homes or loved ones."

But the port explosion was only the latest in a series of tragedies to hit Lebanon. Only a couple of years earlier, a financial crisis had sent the Lebanese pound tumbling, losing 20-fold its value in relation to the dollar. All of this was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, of course.

Our Lady continues to protect her children, both spiritually and physically.