Interview
What are the most challenging issues for churches in Middle East?
Dr Abs: The Middle East, in general, is a place where lots of events are taking place, events that make everything a challenge. Ecology is a challenge. Agriculture is a challenge. Unemployment is a challenge. Education is a challenge. Day after day, the burden is increasing on societies, on governments, on churches. Therefore, in light of the limited resources, we have to be very selective in priorities. But it’s obvious that livelihood is a big challenge and helping people get a better income is a challenge. The economy is going through micro-businesses, so job rehabilitation, income-generating projects, training for business, training for some jobs, giving skills to people, to help the family get some income and get some dignity, some pride. This is the logic of social help and social development. Housing is a crucial issue too. But more important is to secure income for the family via creating opportunities for work and for small businesses.
How is the Middle East Council of Churches constituency responding after the earthquake in Syria and Türkiye?
Dr Abs: MECC was the first to deal with emergency relief in the Middle East. But, you know our churches and our constituency are becoming “better than us,” so to speak! Our churches are very quick to respond. Our churches, they have their parishes and their people everywhere. They were able to respond very, very quickly to this catastrophe. We are more focusing on rehabilitation and long-term assistance like paying rent for houses for people who can’t return to their homes. But the churches were instrumental. They were very strong and very quick. They immediately gathered together and did their job.
What are the plans of the Middle East Council of Churches for its 50th anniversary in 2024?
Dr Abs: In 2024, MECC reaches 50 years of age. We are preparing a jubilee—and not just one jubilee day but we will mark it through the year with several seminars and conferences. We will contemplate the past, evaluate what has been achieved, and evaluate what has not been achieved—and why. During the end of 2023 and early 2024 we will start the seminars. There will be an assembly, probably, through which we present a report, discuss the achievements, evaluate, and draw a line to how to proceed for the future.The main focus will be evaluation of the past and of the next 50 years: what will be the profile? Where do we go from here?
