By Daoud Kuttab, Milhilard.org

Gaza — November 2025

In the heart of Gaza’s devastation, where rubble and tents have replaced neighborhoods and playgrounds, a warm meal has become more than just sustenance — it’s a symbol of love, remembrance, and faith.

Earlier this month, NEXTGEN in Palestine, in partnership with the Christian Mission to Gaza, the Christian Holy Land Foundation, and Levant Ministries, served 6,000 hot meals to displaced families. The meals, distributed across northern Gaza, brought a moment of dignity and comfort to families struggling to rebuild their lives amid relentless hardship.

For the organizers, this effort was not merely about food. It was about presence — a tangible expression of solidarity and the enduring compassion at the heart of their faith.

Fares Abraham, President of Levant Ministries, told Milhilard that the mission carries deep spiritual meaning. Amid destruction and despair, he sees the Church’s calling clearly. “In the middle of the ruins of Gaza, the Church is called to stand with the oppressed and the outcast,” Abraham said. “Every meal served in Gaza is more than food — it’s a message from all of us that Christ’s love remains present, even in the darkest places. Through compassion and partnership, we remind the Palestinian people in Gaza that God has not forgotten, and will never forget about them.”

Supporters noted that they wanted to demonstrate to the needy the love of Christ.

“We joined this project because we believe the love of Christ must take visible form,” said Matt Nance, Executive Director of the Christian Holy Land Foundation. “A hot meal may seem simple, but for families who have lost everything, it’s a sign that they are seen, remembered, and not alone.”

In the makeshift shelters of northern Gaza, the meals were received with gratitude and relief. For many, they represented the first hot food they had eaten in days.

“We extend our deepest thanks to the Baptist Church, the Holy Land Foundation, and NEXTGEN in Palestine for their urgent and immediate relief to our displaced families returning from the southern camps,” said Abdallah, a refugee camp leader. “Your hot meals for our children and women have brought comfort and dignity amid these extremely difficult conditions in Gaza. We offer you our heartfelt gratitude.”

Through partnerships like this, believers across the region are finding new ways to live out their faith — not in words alone, but in deeds of mercy and presence. The hot meals are a small gesture in the face of immense suffering, yet for thousands of Gazan families, they carry a powerful message: hope still burns, even among the ashes.