Pictures from our trip

Hello All,

We have finally uploaded a lot of pictures to a flickr account. You should be able to view them here:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/2225532@N25/

Thank you so much for all your prayers and support before and during our trip. We could not have done this without you all.

God bless.

Our Final Days

Zahle is only a few minutes from the border of Lebanon and Syria. There is a civil war raging in Syria, and has been for almost 2-1/2 years. Lebanon is a "free" country with long open borders so the Syrians are flooding in. The population of Lebanon is 4 million souls. There is now 800,000 registered Syrian refugees with an estimated 200,000 more unregistered. That is one quarter of the population of Lebanon! And they are seeking asylum from the war and tyranny at home within Lebanon. In Zahle we see many more Muslims and beggars; people with no where else to go. It is heartbreaking. I think of the 80 or so parcels of food we helped to package back in the warehouse and feel it is but a tiny drop in an ocean of need. I thank God that He likes to turn little seeds into giant trees!

These refugees live in tents, or 3 large families may occupy a 1 family apartment, or they might live in a condemned building. We heard of one family living in a building an hours walk from civilization, surrounded by danger. No matter where they live, someone owns the land or building and charges them rent. If they do not pay they are compassionatelessly evicted. They take any job they can find and work for less than the native Lebanese. They are simply, and barely, surviving. The alternative, to stay at home, is much worse. At least here not all hope has been lost. All this, of course, creates greater tension in Lebanon.

Things are being done. These people are not being forgotten. They are being given the gospel. They are being fed, mostly. It all happens through the efforts of the church and the people like our hosts. Where we attend service this morning we see some of the efforts. Intermixed with the parishioners are some women wearing scarfs on their heads; the family is clearly from a Muslim background. Praise God, the message of His love and Christ's sacrifice for our salvation is clearly present in the message. We notice that during the offering everybody, even the children, gave! They all give! They know they serve a powerful God and He can do great things through meager offerings.

Afterward we are given a tour of the facility. Some is still under construction. The current sanctuary is only temporary. The main sanctuary, which is the second floor of the building, is still without walls. It will be much larger than their current room, which is good as the numbers of this small church is growing rapidly. As we look out over the city from our lofty vantage point I see only a few buildings away a stark reminder that life here is much different. The walls of the small yellow building are pock-marked with aged bullet holes; a reminder of less pleasant days gone by. It is also a reminder of how God works in our lives: from scarred and broken walls he rebuilds us through grace, mercy and endless love. We say farewell to Zahle and begin our winding drive up into the mountains to meet Nabil for lunch.

The route seems to go ever upward. Winding its way through small villages and expansive views, each more breath-taking than the last. We can see, far below us now, the Bekaa valley. Some call it the Bekaa Plain, and those who do are very passionate that it a plain. Regardless its name, it is a small flat area decorated with buildings and farmland, a city rises in the middle. It is surrounded by high brown and green mountains. Across the valley and over the finger of mountains we are told lies Syria. The air is cool. The sun is warm. The virgin Mary perches on a wall to receive prayers from travelers. We are told that the Maronites have planted these statues all along this highway.

After a bit of confusion and some typical Lebanese traffic maneuvering, which would demand a whole other page to detail, we find our restaurant. It is a large open air buffet. Some familiar dishes fill the line, and more we have not yet seen. There is shawarma, both chicken and beef, zaatar, soujouk and kafta, vegatables and fruit, and many more I do not know. We are encouraged to try some new things: it is all delicious. Nabil and his wife along with some others join us. We talk, and laugh, and eat, and revel in the day and our trip to Lebanon. These are wonderful people. God bless them all!

Too soon we are back at ABTS. Our trip is rapidly coming to a close. It is already time to finalize packing and try to rest a bit before our 4:45 a.m. departure for the airport. Despite the jet-lag and illness, we are filled with mixed emotions about leaving. We are eager to return home to our loved ones, but we have met such awesome people we find it hard to leave. Again, too soon, we are packed like sardines and on our way back to the States, to home, to our families, to the refuge of our safe picket fences and daily routines. What a refreshing trip. What a great opportunity to see how God is at work. What a blessing to meet some of family in Christ!

"Passionate God in Heaven, consuming fire, loving savior, Prince of Peace. We thank you for this awesome opportunity to visit our body in Lebanon. Please continue to bless them with your love. Go before them and soften the hearts, and remove the scales from the eyes, of the Muslims they meet that they might see the love of Christ through the work of those serving the refugees. May the grains and foods that are given be like loaves and fishes, feeding more than they should be able. May your Holy Spirit protect them as they enter the den of danger to show compassion to the refugees. May the hope You offer overwhelm the zeal of the Muslims and your love conquer their hate. Show us how to pray for our brothers and sisters in Lebanon, and Syria, and the Middle East. Please continue to multiply their little bits to make great victories for your kingdom, as only You can. We ask all this in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen."

Parting is Sweet Sorrow

After another short nights sleep we wake to another perfectly sunny day. Already the Lebanese Orthoptera (grasshoppers that live in the surrounding pines) are singing their daily praises. With sleep encrusted eyelids half open we head out in search of Nescafe and then to the leader's devotional. I have been chosen to read a passage of my choosing that will be our verse for the day. In keeping with the theme for the weekend, I read from 1 John 3:1-10. We pray and then, a bit more awake, go in search for our small group so that we may greet, devote, and pray with them to start the day.

In this mornings group devotional we discuss how God wants us to treat those around us; to "Let the Love Flow Out" according to the passage title. We talk about our circle of friends and God's people and our "neighbors" and who they are. The main focus of this discussion to get them to think about the "ways they can do good to those they meet daily." They are excited to participate in the conversation and quickly toss out people whom they can minister to during their day and how they may do it. It is wonderful to see their enthusiasm for helping one another in a practical, biblical, way. Their ardor is contagious, just like their everlasting smiles, and soon we are all smiling and laughing as we close in prayer and head to the mess hall for breakfast.

In the few moments of free time before the meal, I am approached by Julie's mother. She meekly asks me for a favor, and I tell her anything within my ability is hers to ask. She tells me that Pastor Joseph has told her of my condition, and I immediately, and, thank God, wrongfully, assume she is speaking of my traveler's sickness; I am still not fully well. As she continues it becomes rapidly clear that she is not speaking of any intestinal issues, but, instead, of my diabetes. She is asking me to speak to her daughter about it as Julie has no one to relate to. Julie has cystic fibrosis. I am diabetic. Though they are not the same condition, they have similar life altering implications. I am excited to do this favor. Internally I pump my fists into the air and praise God for this wonderful opportunity. Being diabetic is usually not anything to get excited about, usually just the opposite. However, when our inexorably awesome God hand picks you to share your life with another in a helpful way, this is cause for celebration and reason for praise! Then I think to myself: ok, I am to approach a 14 year old Lebanese girl and talk about our conditions. This won't be awkward at all... Thank God this is by His ordination, His power, and His will!

I do not mean to hijack this blog, but Julie's story is one of hope and beauty. Her life is not merely a breath in the wind, but more like a lightning bud in the dark. She shines and the darkness will not overtake her! As I enter the cafeteria I try to find Julie. I immediately see that God, of course, is at work. Kacie is sitting next to her already: a buffer and reason to sit at the same table. Typically I have noticed that when we gather for meals it is boys and girls at their own tables, so sitting next to a teammate gives me an excuse. We exchange pleasantries and begin chit-chatting. Julie is shy and not very forth coming as I begin to broach the subject. I am trying to play it off as if I wasn't asked by her mother, instead, I just casually bring it up that I heard she had cystic fibrosis. Since I have diabetes, we start to share slowly about our conditions.

Soon she opens up a bit and I quickly learn that it is she that could probably help me more than I can help her! She is a petite, pretty child, optimistic and buoyant in her spirit, and remains undefined by her condition, smiling shyly, yet brightly, as she speaks. She regales to me her story of months long stays in the hospital. Of missing more school than she can attend, but, joyfully she relates, her teachers understand, and despite her prolonged absences, she is going quite well. She has had this condition her whole life and she would not know any other way to live. She is not angry at God, or disappointed in her lot. To her it is just a way of life and the way God made her. I am astonished, but not completely surprised, by her aplomb. The people here are delightfully content and positive, choosing to live instead of worry. It is wonderful! We are so enthralled by her joyful tale that we do not even notice the room has cleared out and it is time to head to morning worship.

Dani, Gladys' husband, arrived last night and this morning he is again leading worship. He is a talented musician on the keyboard; Roula and Noelle lead the songs. This morning we sing and praise God delightedly. We are even learning some of the Arabic verses and join in clapping to the beat. Pastor Joseph also has a clear tenor voice and leads, or continues, some of the songs; he also has a keen memory for lyrics. He then takes to microphone to deliver the final message of the weekend series. The message today is "Seeing the World Through the Eyes of God." He enthusiastically teaches us on how God sees this fallen, broken world and our role in it as followers of Jesus Christ. He concludes by reminding us that what we ask of God should not be to fulfill our selfish desires, but to instead ask Him how we may serve him and open doors from which we can build relationships with our neighbors. A final song and we head out to find our small group.

Sheltered from the already warm sun, we are gathered in the shade beneath the pines. This is our final time to meet with these students as teachers and I wish to make it a good exchange. I start off with the prepared questions and again receive Sunday school answers. My spirit is heavy and my desire is to make sure they understand the importance of this weeks theme. Especially as our group is bound for university. I put the questions away and start to ask them if what we are studying makes sense, do they understand, do they have questions. At first, they are sheepish in the answers. But, since they have had some time, too little time, to get to know

us, they are more comfortable today and one of them opens the flood gates. Yes, they understand, but they have heard it all before and always the same biblical vocabulary laden message. They want to know how they can relate this to their lives; how do they share this with their Muslim friends? The Muslims are hard set in their beliefs and neither will convert to the other's point of view. At last, a real, heartfelt response. A real concern! God, please, give me the right words and do not let my answer get lost in translation. We begin by reminding them it is not their responsibility to change anyone's heart or mind. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. We continue by telling them that God only has one job for them: to love their neighbor humbly and through Christ's strength. Our dialogue continues for some time, but they are eager for the council. They understand and start to speak of how they can do this very thing, how God can work through them to show the Arab nation his great mercy and grace. Our spirits sing in praise to our creator as we see the comprehension dawn in their eyes. We joyful gladness, we close in prayer before heading off for the morning activities. Jon and Kacie have put together a sport for the boys, ultimate Frisbee, and a craft opportunity for the girls, making memory books.

The guys gather on the hot, dusty soccer field. We may be in the mountains, but the sun still blazes and the rain still does not come until winter. We laugh and perspire as we enjoy some ultimate Frisbee. A bit further down the mountain the girls stay cool and dry in the gathering hall, crowded in around several tables cutting colored paper into squares about 3 x 5 inches, decorating them with markers and stamps, and binding them to make memory books. Everybody enjoys the morning activity and then it is time for lunch. Once again we gather in the mess hall for our final meal with these wonderful kids.

Jon and I sit beside one another and enjoy the company of Jad and Peter and several other boys. Kacie and Mary are sitting with some girls. We enjoy the Lebanese dishes and the camaraderie; we smile and joke; we exchange stories; we jest and laugh; we do anything but look at the clock. Way too soon lunch is over and now it is time for the worst part about camp: we must say goodbye.

We will be staying one more night here on the campus as the church we will be attending tomorrow morning in Zahle is close by. The bus is here and the kids stow their gear once again in its belly. We hug and snap pictures and make our farewells. In only three days these kids from the other side of the world have planted their roots deep in our hearts. We will miss them very much. They are such happy, cheerful, gracious, polite,
and now real-to-us kids. It will be a joy to pray for them by name in our daily prayers. We wave as the bus drives away and then it is only us and the pines embraced by the sun. Our day is far from over.

This afternoon we travel on a windy road up and up and farther up the mountain to the Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve. This forest boasts some very old trees - approximately 3000 years old! This forest is where Solomon came to gather the cedar wood to build his Palace of the Forest of Lebanon (1 Kings 7). The thin air is cool on our skin as we exit the car for the tour. Our guide is very knowledgeable and passionate about the cedar forest as he explains the age of the forest, its geo and bio diversity, how the cedar produces its cones, and the history of this forest. He completes the 25 minute tour by telling us that the only insect that can survive the poisonous sap of the cedar tree is the bee, which is essential to the survival of the forest. As we are leaving the park, we stop at the gift center and are treated to a sample of the thick, sweet, pure honey made by the bees that inhabit the forest. It is expensive, but worth it; never before have we tasted such delicious honey. We are dropped off at the same restaurant below the camp in which we dined the night before as our hosts must attend a dinner function with their family. Back now at the camp, we crash hard after a long few sleepless days.

And there was evening, and there was morning - the third day of camp.


"Merciful Father in Heaven, planter of the cedars of Lebanon, the depths of your grace cannot be measured. We praise you for this opportunity to know some of the children of Lebanon; your children. We implore you to watch over them, love them, deliver them, guide them through today and into tomorrow. May they be radiant beacons of your love and hope and may they share your light in the darkness the surrounds them. May they remember their identity through your Son Jesus, our triumphant Savior and everlasting friend. Amen."

One Full Day of Camp is Not Enough

Our first full day off camp and we are so happy to be here. We begin early, reveling before the campers get up. We rise to another sun-filled, beautiful day, praise God! With Nescafe in hand we head to the leader's devotional. This is a bible study for the leaders only and a chance to talk about our day, our groups, any concerns, or questions we might have. After this the campers are awake and we find our group for a quick guided

discussion before breakfast. In this one we talk about the healing power of God's word. The discussions end quickly as the groups are yet drowsy from staying up late the night before; no less is expected though, its camp! This morning breakfast is labna, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, bread, and marmalade. Though the mess hall is subdued, there is an air of cheeriness and joy. These kids love being at camp, it is evident in every bleary smile!

We break from breaking our fast to gather for morning worship and our third Bible study. The worship starts a bit somberly, but then picks up as the rhythms begin to tap the weariness from the campers. Now awake, they attentively listen to Pastor Joseph teach on how God uses our situations to teach us about Himself and to grow our faith. He explains how we are not exempt from problems as Christians, but we have a God that will carry us through. It is a good message and the group listens with typical teenage detachment, though unconcealed attentiveness betrays their interest. I think to myself that today's discussion should be easy and relevent. My problem planted garden of faith may some days be likened to a redwood forest. Thankfully my God is always bigger! And then I remember where I am and think my redwoods may be more like toothpicks when compared to the situations of those around me. Thank you Jesus that my worries are usually only self-induced! The teaching is followed by another song and then we head to our meeting ground for group discussion.

We have chosen a sun-filled porch, built from stone and concrete, upon which to gather. This will be our morning meeting place. In the afternoon when the sun blazes hotter, we will seek the coolness of the shade further up on the mountain beneath the pines. After a review of the previous two sermons we get into the questions. I love these kids. They are always so cheerful. They seem to have strength and optimism welling up from deep within. We talk about the purpose of problems and the fact that God uses them to grow our faith. They understand that problems are not punishments but stepping stones to knowing God in a more intimate way. We close in prayer, thanking God for the attention He pays to our own details and then it is picture time.

After gathering the campers and staff of a group photo it is free time. Some gather and talk, some grab a basketball - which is a very popular sport here in Lebanon, some play soccer - the other popular sport, Peter and Jad seek Jon and I out to play cards. Peter has an infectious smile and Jad is one of the humblest people ever; we love spending time with these two. All too quickly it is time to head to lunch. Another delicious, Lebanese meal; this time the room is more boisterous than before. We share food and stories; they try to teach us Arabic and laugh as we try to pronounce words in their language. The merriment and food fills us before we head to the second bible study of the day, the fourth in the series.

In this lesson we learn how God created us all in his image. How we are all His children and how He loves us all dearly. For this segment of the series, "Through the Eyes of God" we are learning how to see others through His eyes. Pastor Joseph is an excellent teacher and pastor. He speaks not only about seeing others, but the whole world through God's eyes and our responsibilities therein. Afterwards we gather to discuss the lecture, of course seeking our shady respite from the warm afternoon sun. During this discussion period I learn a valuable lesson. Although our group has always answered, they have usually been Sunday school answers. I know some of them do not feel confident in their English and it seems that answering correctly is important - I figure this is why they are sometimes quiet. When Andrea, Jad's sister, asks to see the questions so they can read them in Arabic I finally realize my big mistake. I comprehend the hardship has been in the translation and, while normally eager to share, is the source of their shyness when we meet in our small groups! Reading the questions in their native tongue helps to loosen their own, and they again impress us with their upbeat, buoyant personalities. They are so forgiving and wonderful! We have a good discussion and then break for some free time.

Soon it is time for Maher to once again demonstrate his love for these children by letting them creatively compete - this time with water games! We cautiously watch them soak one another first with a game where one person holds an empty water bottle on their head while their partner uses a sponge to transfer water from a bucket to fill the bottle. Delightful squeals of laughter drench the hot afternoon as cheerful teens drench one another. The second game is a water balloon toss. Starting at arms length away, each pair must toss a water balloon back and forth, each time stepping a bit further apart, until one team spans the greatest distance. They love this! The final round is a sneak attack. Maher has them drag three heavy, water balloon filled tubs into the center of the gaming area. He then has them gather together in a group so he can explain this final game. It is hard for them to focus as their eyes keep glancing dreamily at the colorful tubs of ammunition with eager anticipation. Maher is very solemn as he gathers their attention and a balloon in each hand. He holds both balloons up high as he begins to speak. Telling them to pay attention, he draws both arms back, and before anyone can realize he as laid his trap, he unleashes both balloons into the crowd. It is pandemonium, a wild free for all! As campers run excitedly into the fray, the staff quickly retreats away from the liquidy onslaught and once again the day is pierced with teenage guffaws. Man, this guy is good!

The grounds are scoured and all balloon bits are gathered before the campers hit the showers and gather to leave for dinner. This time, we are walking down to the nearby village to eat at a restaurant called El Yammine. Life is definitely different hear in Lebanon. Did I mention we are in the mountains? The steep mountains? I know that I have not told you about the driving in Lebanon. Imagine a life where cars, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, pedestrians, and whatever else shared a driving surface where lines are only a form of decoration. Generally, you should travel on the right side, but you do not really have to. There are no enforceable speed limits. The only real rule is avoid being in an accident. If there is room, go; if there is not, go faster. I am not making this up. Even people who are comfortable driving in downtown New Your City would panic behind the wheel in Lebanon! As we begin our journey down the road, we four Americans take solace in the fact that at least there is less traffic up here in the mountains... usually.

El Yammine is an open aired, beautiful, picturesque, delight. We are served Mezze to start. This is middle-eastern hors d'oeuvres. For this meal it consists of plates of hommos, baba ghannouj, and tabbouleh. The meal is chicken kabobs and french fries. We learn from Noelle, a fellow camp leader and an American who met and married Gladys' brother, Wissam, when she came for a missions trip back in 2010, that it is typical to place the dinner order when making reservations for large groups - a very practical idea. The meal is followed by plates of fresh fruit: slices of watermelon and cantaloupe, grapes, apricots, pears, plums, kiwi, and peaches. The meal is completed by a cup of coffee. A fun day, a delicious dinner, great sermons, sunshine, happy teenagers = life in Lebanon is wonderful! We head back up to camp for our final, unbeknownst to us, painful, evening session.

Safely back in camp we all head to the meeting hall for the evening program. Tonight it will be lead by Maher with the help of some of the campers. We have no idea what we are in for. It begins with some worship music and then Maher takes over. When I said painful, I meant because this program, though we do not speak the language, was full of side-splitting, teary eyed, heart wrenching laughter. I cannot remember laughing so hard and merrily as when we did while watching the skits performed by the campers. Maher was both director, and performer. He was joined by Roy, Marianne, Andrea, Stephan, Daniel, and Calvin. I did not understand a word that was said, but true comedy needs no interpreter, and all did an amazing job. It was so much fun!

All too quickly it was over and we were saying our "bon soirs" (french for good night). And there was evening, and there was morning - the second day of camp.


"Precious Father in Heaven. Your glory, grace, and love know no boundaries. You truly are our "abba father." Please watch over these youth as they pursue the good works you have prepared in advance for them to do. Keep them safe as they find their identity in your son Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Allow them great opportunities to love and be loved as they show their neighbors what it means to be a Christian in a world that hates them. They need you to be their guide, their mentor, their protector, and their hope. Thank you, Lord, for the joy they have shared with us and may we continue to spread it as we remember them fondly in our prayers. Amen."

Delayed...

I must apologize for the delay in making my posts. Sadly, and regretfully, because I cannot wait to tell you more, due to jetlag, illness, and utter exhaustion, I have fallen behind in my blogging duties. Please check back later today and tomorrow for more - these posts are far from finished. I hope you are enjoying them!

Our First Day of Camp

Another warm and beautiful day dawns over the crowded city of Beirut. We finish our last minute packing and head outside toward crowd of smiling, happy kids surrounding the large, luxury bus. The bus, we are told, is nicer than the one they usually use. We are shyly greeted by a few of the teens, many try to steal glances at this newly arrived group of Americans, some pretend to ignore us completely; they all act like typical teenagers. We start to introduce ourselves and some of the boys come to help us with our luggage. The Lebanese people are always so very helpful. Loulou greets us and the quickly returns to checking off names and reminding the kids to put their luggage in the storage are below the bus.

A smiling Nabil Costas arrives to say hello and to see us off. He is beaming with humble passion for these children and the work God is doing. Pastor Joseph arrives and introduces us to his 18 year old son, Roy, and his 16 year old daughter, Joy. Finally all have gathered and we finish loading onto the bus. We begin our journey a little late which is not unexpected here in Lebanon.

The ride up the mountain is breath taking! The road curves and twists higher and higher as the city falls away below us. We can feel the air grow cooler as we make our way along the two lane road bordered by the side of the mountain to our left and an amazing view of Beirut to our right. It takes only about 45 minutes to reach our destination. We are nestled up in the mountains of Lebanon surrounded on all sides by picturesque views decorated with green and dust colored mountain tops. It is absolutely astonishing.

Around us it is controlled chaos as the bus is unloaded, rooms are assigned, and gear stowed. Since we have arrived late we immediately then head to the conference hall for the first of 5 Bible studies. They are all of the theme "Through the Eyes of God." The main focus is on our identity through Jesus Christ.

 The study begins with worship music: all in Arabic. It is a beautiful language and the kids all join in to sing along. The sermon is in, as they all will be, Arabic also. We are blessed to be attending a camp that has been blessed in turn by various churches. A headset is available to each of us in which we can hear a translator speaking quietly into a microphone.

The guest speaker for the first lecture is elderly; he speaks with passion about creation, our Lord Jesus, His death and resurrection on the cross and through that our opportunity to accept the free gift of salvation and thereby become children of God, and through that our identity "through the eyes of God." He concludes his message and another song is song. Loulou then takes the microphone and goes over some of the rules of the camp and our schedule for the remainder of the day. We then divide up into groups to have a discussion about the lecture. Mary and I have a group of three boys, including Joseph's son, Roy, and three girls. There should be four girls; one has not arrived yet. They are all 17 and 18 years old. Jon and Kacie have a similar group, but their group consists of 13 and 14 year olds.  These will be our groups for the remainder of the camp. They are friendly, quiet, yet eager to answer questions and to learn. We are privileged and honored to be entrusted to mentor such wonderful teenagers.

Following discussion we break for lunch. All the food is prepared in the cafeteria by the locals that own the campus that has been rented for the camp. Lunch is a standard Lebanese dish called mansala au potato (meat with potato - I am only guessing at the spelling) and is very good. After lunch we all have some free time and then afternoon Activities. Maher, a Syrian and Pastor Joseph's assistant and a student at ABTS, leads this up. It is two sets of very creative relay races. Did I mention how well behaved Lebanese teens are? They all wait patiently during the first nearly 30 minute explanation of the five required relays each team will need to finish in order to win the race. 30 minutes and they all listen attentively and patiently! This will be repeated again for the second set of 5 relays. And again they will listen patiently. The Arabic language is spoken very passionately. We think that they are being yelled at like a drill instructor, but we are told, no, he is just explaining the rules.

The relay races comprise of events like holding a whiffle bat against ones chin and, while looking up at the top of it, spinning around 10 times before running about 25 meters to a chalk line and back again, carrying a ping-pong ball on a spoon to the line and then running back, a wheel barrow race to the line and then running back, three people locking elbows to make a triangle together and running as a team to the line and then back again, two people running with a football held between their heads to the line and then running full tilt back again, two people running to the line with a piece of spaghetti held between their mouths and then back, and finally running to the line to find a coin, buried in flour on a plate, with their mouth. It was great fun to watch them and the peels of laughter that echo along the mountain were an indication they had even more fun participating in the events. After these hilarious and exhilarating races are free time and shower time before dinner at 7 p.m.

After dinner we gather again for worship and the evening message in which Jon and I are the speakers. We both give our testimonies. Jon uses the Roman road to not only illustrate his journey, but also to give a clear message of the path to salvation. He also adds a clear word picture by having one of the kids come up and join him to show how impossible it is to get to God on our own. He does this by standing about 20 feet away from Jad and asking him to jump to him. The fact that Jad can not span the difference shows that it is impossible to get to God with our own works. Jon's message is delivered very well; full of laughter as he speaks very confidently of the need for salvation and the love of Christ for us - even when we were yet sinners.

For my testimony I begin with the parable of the prodigal son from Luke 15. I tell them this is my story and this is to warn them against making the same mistakes I have made. That the lies Satan uses, attractive and full of promise, are empty and full of regret. As I look out upon their eager faces I am overwhelmed through the Spirit by how much they are loved by our Father in Heaven. My voice chokes and I can only pray they may understand my message: that no matter what - God loves them deeply and passionately! I hope to illustrate the responsibility we have to seek the Lord in the decisions one makes instead of following our own desires and getting ourselves into trouble and breaking God's heart. To show them how this relates to the theme of the weekend, I end with Ephesians 2:1-10 that states though we were once sinners we are are given salvation as a gift through Jesus Christ and all those who accept it are forgiven our transgressions and made alive through God's mercy and are God's workmanship. In our messages, both Jon and I try to emphasize the importance of making the right decisions at this crucial stage of their life and no matter their background, heritage, ethnicity, etc., Jesus Christ loves them so much he would rather die than live without them.

This is followed by Judgement. Yes, judgement. Maher and his two judges, Loulou and Zeina set up a table at the front of the room to serve as their bench. Their then follows one of the funniest, warmest, side-splitting, court mockery of the days events. I wish I could accurately explain to you how awesome this was. We were quietly told earlier in the day that there would be a spy watching the campers. If we noticed that anyone had done anything noteworthy and deserving of judgement - whether good or bad - we should tell Maher or Loulou. We did not realize fully what this meant. The entire event was of course, to remind the campers to follow the rules, to be respectful, to get along and love one another. This was done through laughter, not shame. Through creativity and not adherence to rules. Through joy and not pain - except for when we were all laughing so hard we were crying. In summation, let me give you an example. Do you remember the description of the relay races, especially the one were they were to hold a bat, look at it's top, spin ten times and then run to the line. Yes? Ok. One of the girls, when almost to the line, suddenly veered to the right and ran right into the bushes bordering the camp road where the races were run! At judgement, Maher, in stern character, with extremely passion, called her out on this - her judgement: to stand in front of the bush and apologize three times the following morning. Trust me, I cannot do this scene justice. To watch Maher "berate" - this is all an act - this tiny, timid, innocent looking, girl of harassing this bush was hysterical. Scenes like this were repeated for several of the campers. It was a great way to end the evening session. They are all so full of the joy of life; they are amazing!

We ended the evening with another worship song and then a brief reminder of the rules before being dismissed at about 10:30. And there was evening, and there was morning - the first day of camp.

Sight Seeing

Today was our scheduled sight-seeing day and thank God we are feeling better. We were taken to Byblos, one of the oldest cities in the world. When first built strategically on the Mediterranean Sea nearly 8000 years ago by the Phoenicians it was the capitol of Lebanon and a major trading port. At that time it also had a different Arabic name that escapes this author. One of the major imports was papyrus. Many books were written here, by hand of course, and thus this city became known as Byblos, or "library" in English. The root of this word, byb, is book. It had been taken over and rebuilt many times in its history, most recently by the crusaders. The crusaders torn down the city for a final time and used the existing stones to build a fortress. Until 1922, when an excavation was initiated by a French anthropologist, much of the cities history had been lost.

Tomorrow we leave for the camp where, I am told the is no wi-fi. So parents and friends, before you start to worry because we will be out of contact for a few days, let me take a moment to speak to the situation here. Beirut, and Lebanon, is beautiful. It's inhabitants are friendly, caring people, who love Americans. Of course there are dangerous areas that we should not, nor will, venture, but the same can be said of anyone of own major metropolises. Yes, there is war in some of the "nearby" region; war is not everywhere. In fact, you would never guess in a thousand years from watching the peoples of Beirut as they go about their daily lives that fighting is happening anywhere. They go to work, enjoy their day, live a happy and productive existence; living in fear of the could be's is, to them, an idea not worth entertaining. If the group with whom we are working thought we were in any danger, our trip,and the camp, would have been canceled instantly. We are safe, surrounded by the love of Christ, and well taken care of by our hosts. So do not waste your energy worrying about the could be's; instead, rejoice with us as we support the body of Christ here in the Middle East.

Until we return to internet access, we love you and thank you all for your continued support.

"Wonderful Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, we are so blessed to be here in Lebanon. You are truly amazing. May we live in, and by, your grace as we love on these children. Please bridge the cultural and language divide as we serve those around us. We honor you and praise you for this opportunity. Amen"

Byblos

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"  Isaiah 52:7

What a great encouragement verse from friends today! 

Day 3 - Rough, but still a day God has made

Today was a semi-unexpected day in our journey. Mary and I got rather ill today. Maybe traveler's sickness, maybe a stomach bug, maybe extreme jet-lag, we do not know. Whatever it was, we were uncomfortable today. Jon and Kacie were not effected in the slightest; fit as fiddles both. Our illness did not prevent us, all except Mary who was bed-ridden, from going and helping to fill bags with lentils and bulhole (spelling is off I am sure, it is what Tabouli is made from - see picture) for Syrian refugees.

We were working with a man named Nazi who grew very excited when we asked him if he grew his own olives. Because he lived nearby, at our mid morning break he took us to his beautiful home in downtown Beirut where he fed us olives from his orchard. They were superb! He made us tea and taught us the proper way to prepare it, just a little honey. This too was delicious.  The food here always is!

After working some more in the warehouse preparing bags of grains we returned to LSESD for lunch and our afternoon of training and prepping for the camp. Our excitement grows daily as we prepare to minister to the youth of Lebanon. Working with Gladys and Lou-Lou is such a joy. Their contagious love for these children inspires us as we work along side them.

"Victorious Father in heaven, glory to your name! Thank you for this splendid opportunity to grow closer to our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in this part of the world. May our hearts be filled to overflowing for this next generation of youth whom will have the opportunity to influence this world. May our words and deeds reflect your love for them. Amen."

Good morning!

This is the view from our window when we wake up! Happy to share it with you!

Actually, it's afternoon here and already we've put in half a day of visiting, planning, and serving. Dennis will post a full update later, I'm sure! 

In the meantime, please keep Mary in your prayers. Jet lag and a new environment have kept out of commission most of today, but we're hoping a day of rest will help her heal. 

Love and miss you all, but don't get upset when we say we're not ready to come home just yet! 

Day Two

We are on our second day of this awesome trip. We serve such an amazing God! We are having an eye-opening, fabulously, great time! Being a servant of the Most-High is extraordinary! Today after a continental breakfast of labna (a traditional Lebanese breakfast yogurt), cheeses, olives, and pita bread we were treated to an eye opening presentation of all the ministries under the umbrella of LSESD (Lebanese Society for Education and Social Development). From SKILD (Smart Kids with Individual Learning Differences) and the way it is revolutionizing how special needs children are thought of in the Middle East, to the impression the Beirut Baptist School is having on both Christian And Muslim communities, to the closed borders that are being crossed by the Gateway Bookstore, to the walls that are being brought down through the Community Relief and Development focus, all of these are just too awe-inspiring to be put into this simple blog. God is so at work in LSESD! It would not be surprising to hear that many throughout the Middle East receive salvation in Christ through their ceaseless efforts.

Knowing you are traveling overseas to help is one thing, being here and listening to the passion these missionaries have for those whom they are serving is moving in a way unimaginable prior to coming. There is such a tremendous need here in the Arab community for the love of Christ, especially with the thousands of refugees pouring in from Syria across the open borders on a daily basis. It can make one feel very inadequate. That is until you hear of the tremendous way God turns every hardship into a victorious witnessing opportunity and we are reminded that only a limitless God could work through such broken jars of clay!  It is definitely not by our power, strength or knowledge.

We ended our day with a fantastic tour of downtown Beirut. What a contrast there is between new construction and the rubble left over from war days gone by. (It is profound that these brothers and sisters-in-Christ can talk about living and working in terrifying conditions with the same tone of voice you and I use to talk about the weather.) Our dinner was delicious. We cannot remember being treated to such tantalizing flavors ever before in our lives. The cuisine is not only rich and pleasantly filling, it mouth-wateringly delicious as well. Day two has been wonderful and exhilarating!

"Father God in heaven, you are such a mighty, caring, and consuming God. You have placed faithful men and women in perfect places and opened strategic doors for their work to pierce the darkness that one would be foolish to think it was by any other means than Yours. Please continue to bless them and their efforts, meet every single one of their overwhelming needs, love them to overflowing, and continue to soften the hearts of the Muslims they serve through the strength You so generously give them. May our meager, and all too short, efforts bring them joy and inspire others to support their causes, Your causes, as they pour out their lives daily upon this battlefield. Glory to You forever. Amen."

Arriving safely

Thank you all for the many prayers. And thank you to those who met us at the airport to wish us farewell and to pray over us before we left. We know that those who were not physically there were there in spirit.

We have arrived safely in Beirut! Thankfully the travel here was only the uneventful, boring, and typical lines and tightly packed seating arrangements of the plane. No luggage or people got lost, no hassles at any of the Customs kiosks, no major disruptions to our travel plans. No misunderstandings in any of the language, custom laden, and to us, foreign, airports of Europe. Essentially smooth sailing all the way here. Even meeting our missionaries at the airport for the first time was smooth and happy!

We were taken to a delicious dinner at a small and very authentic family-owned restaurant. We sat outside in the pleasant breeze, shaded from the sun, on a patio that is overlooks the city. It was marvelous!

Tonight we will explore our new, desert-urban seminary surroundings and then relax and sleep soundly after our nearly twenty hours of travel.

Thank you Jesus, for this grand adventure, Your presence and protection in foreign lands, and for the work You have prepared for us to do. May we honor and glorify You in all that we do and say here. Bless our hands and feet that they might do Your work through Your strength and perfect guidance. We love and we praise You! Amen.

GO!

We are at the airport and have made it through security unscathed! Our excitement grows now as we look out the windows while eagerly awaiting our plane. This journey is one "prepared in advance for us to do" and we grin at each other in disbelief that our savior, Jesus Christ, loves us so much that he would think of us this way before time even began! Or maybe it is  that Ceaser Milan just walked past, but I am sure it is the anticipation of our journey unfolding before us. 

The Team's Daily Prayer Requests July 20 - 29

July 20-21 – Safe travels.  We leave at about 3:00 pm on the 20th and get to Beirut at about 4:30 pm on the 21st.  Please pray that our energy levels would be high and we would not suffer terribly from jet lag. As we begin our new journey, may our hearts and minds not dwell on whatever we leave at home, but focus on God’s adventure before us. Pray that God would keep his hand on Mary’s sick kitty (recovering from cancer treatments) so that she may focus completely on the Lord’s work.

July 22 – We will spend the day with the missionaries which will include sight-seeing.  Please pray that we would connect with them and really enjoy our time of fellowship.  A lot of our excitement with this trip is letting the missionaries know that we appreciate and support what they are doing, so we pray that this day will foster a trusting relationship.  As we explore Beirut, please pray that we may be kept safe.

July 23-24 – Training days – prayers that we would be as prepared as possible, and that we would be understanding and flexible of all situations that may change or that we did not expect.

July 25 – Originally the first day of camp; the camp has since been shortened due to lack of funding.  Please pray that we would be able to do whatever is needed for the missionaries that we are there to serve. Also, that our hearts would remain focused on the reason for our trip despite our bodies’ temporary confusion and discomfort (jet lag).

July 26-28 – The camp.  Prayers for the teenagers that we will be serving.  We pray that their hearts would be molded and encouraged during the camp and that we would grow a deeper understanding of God’s heart for the people of the world.  I pray that this would excite us for global missions in a way that truly transforms the way we think.  On one night, we will organize the evening session.  Prayers that we would be prepared and that Dennis and Jon (who will be teaching that night) would speak in humility and that we too would be prepared.

July 29 – Safe travels back home! After what we are sure will be an exhilarating and exhausting trip may our hearts remain focused on Christ’s love for one another and the world as our individual, and collective, patience may be tried during a long return trip home.

Serving Together

We are so thankful God brought together a united team for his purpose in Beirut. 
Our team has truly worked well together through the preparation process. Through personality tests, spiritual gifts test, sharing testimony, discussion, planning, praying, and breaking bread together we've gotten to know one another very well. 

One thing in particular we're so glad we got the chance to do before leaving was serve together. 
















We enjoyed each other's company, worked for a common goal, and succeeded in showing love to our community. 

        

We can't wait to see how God puts this in action in Beirut.

LSESD

The Lebanese Society for Economic and Social Development is a large organization, an umbrella really, for the many ways Nabil and his team are serving Lebanon and proclaiming the love of Christ.
Interested in knowing more?  Here's a link to their website which highlights the amazing ways this team is reaching their community.

http://www.lsesd.org/?DivisionID=14556&ToggleSideNav=

Preparation in progress

Meeting up for local Lebanese food at Nazareth Bread Company and planning some fun games for the kids! 

Prepping our minds and bellies!

Rumors and Truth

When we met with Nabil in May, he told us that the American news often paints a much worse picture that what it is really like.
As we near our departure date our attention is of course drawn to the news and what is reported therein concerning Lebanon; especially Beirut. We are very thankful to be in touch with our liaison there who, when recently asked via email what the conditions are like, responded:

"For the situation in Lebanon, what Nabil said is very true and I wanted you to read something that one of our visitors who came from the US last week wrote. This might help:

A Texas pastor and I spent the afternoon walking around downtown Beirut. We stopped in at Starbucks for a frappuchino, bought some souvenirs, and went inside to visit the central mosque (with shoes off, of course).
Last Sunday we went to church at a baptist church in the central Bekaa valley, visited one of the national forests of cedars of Lebanon, and then returned to the Bekaa Valley for a nice lunch at a local restaurant. We also visited the Beirut Baptist School, which is in the heart of the Muslim section of Beirut.
I give you all this detail to illustrate that life is going on as normal, despite the Syrian refugee situation. The local Baptist leaders don't see Lebanon in any more delicate position, or tenuous situation, than any of their neighboring countries. One of their main leaders described life here, with the shadow of hostilities, as their "daily bread". All of the tension, caution, etc is found up on their northern borders."

Rest assured we are paying attention and not going heading out blindly - simply in faith!

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Why We're Going

A few weeks ago we had the honor of hosting Nabil at Westover Church for an update on the many great things that are happening in Lebanon through the ministries they are running.  Our team was also able to meet with him for dinner the following night.  We were so excited to meet Nabil.  Our team was ready with a long list of questions!

Nabil's message to us on Sunday came from 2 Timothy 2:2, "And the things that you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others." 
Spreading the Gospel in the Middle East can be difficult due to the hold Islam has on the people and culture.  Nabil and his colleagues have built a seminary in Beirut to teach and train Christians who will be pastors and deliverers of the Good News to all surrounding nations.  These students come from all over the Eastern world and are bringing Jesus to the Middle East and North Africa...  The Gospel is being entrusted to qualified individuals who are teaching others and introducing people to Christ.
After hearing this message, we were so excited to be supporting these students.  Although we will not meet them, our desire to come echoes support for their ministries.  It shows that we believe in what they are doing.

On Monday, we got to know Nabil a little better.  Nabil grew up in a Christian household in Lebanon.  He went on to become a very successful businessman before ministry slowly took more of his time.  Eventually, he found himself in full-time ministry.  At dinner, we asked Nabil how he ended up in ministry.  In the US, we often explain it as a 'calling.'  So we asked, "Nabil, were you called to ministry?"  His answer caught us off guard.  Although his English is great (sometimes more correct than ours!),  this took him time to talk through.  The gist was this..  Few people are called by God.  If someone comes to you and says "I was called by God to do this" then fall on your knees where you stand and pray over them.  A calling should not be taken lightly.  When the disciples were called, they dropped everything they owned and everything they were doing, and followed Jesus. They left their families, their friends, possibly their livelihood.  If you are called by God, listen.  But if you do not feel as if you've received some personal calling from God, then go read God's Word and see what it says about how to care for and love others.  Jesus' mission was one act of service after another, completely humble, and all with the purpose of drawing people to himself.  This line of thinking really applied to us.

We were not called to go to Lebanon.  We all have a heart for the Middle East.  We feel that only peace from Christ will heal that land.  We are very excited to support the people who are already doing this.  We are happy to work with teenagers, the CURRENT generation proclaiming Christ.  We go because we believe God has already asked this of us (and every Christian), in Matthew 28:19..  "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."  He didn't say wait for his calling, wait for a good time, wait until you're ready, or anything else.  He has already asked us to GO!

Get Set...

The call goes out: people are needed to form a Short Term Trip team for Beirut, Lebanon at the end of July. Dennis and Mary and Jack answer the call and apply to join. Jack has an unexpected complication and must sadly bow out before he can commit. Dennis and Mary are able to commit. The team is formed! We do not choose to go for a vacation. We do not choose to go because we are qualified. We do no choose to go because it is something we can afford to do. We are going because, in faith, we believe we are answering God's command to "Go, and make disciples" in His name. We are divine nobody's excited to do the work God has prepared in advance for us to do. We are Dennis and Mary, Kacie and Jon (see picture below): humble servants expecting great and mighty things from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.


 

Get Ready...

Jon and Kacie have heard the call. In faith, they have stepped up to lead a Short Term Trip to Beirut, Lebanon. The trip is set. They are ready. Now to get the details set.