Into Lebanon

though we will fly into and out of Beirut, most of our first
visits will take place at retreat centers in the
nearby mountains

Within a week, Zeke and I fly to Beirut, Lebanon for the first time to share with the annual Ana Terzo Youth Camp.  We are extremely excited about this upcoming opportunity to have our first introduction to this beautiful country, to meet leadership, and to serve young adults.  More on this next week...

This week, we were surprised and humbled by another invitation to engage Lebanon with Heart for Lebanon.  H4L is "a relief and compassionate ministry, started in October of 2006" (see the recent video about the relief for Iranian refugees).  The ministry has a national board of directors, as well as an international/foreign advisory board; we've been asked to join the latter.  This is a great opportunity for networking toward greater international engagement into the Middle East.  The H4L Boards have an annual retreat just a few days after we are there--we'll have to return to Cairo to get Zeke enrolled into school, but then I'll turn around to return after a few days.




As you can see by the video, H4L is a great opportunity for us to move into greater regional ministry efforts and networking toward greater international engagement into the Middle East.

H4L along with the Church of God in Lebanon have been among those on the front lines of meeting the needs of the increasing Syrian refugee population.  In the past 2 days, there's been a growing number of reports of the Syrian conflict continuing to spring up within Lebanon.
- CNN: Syria's Neighbors: What's at Stake (August 22, 2012)
- Al Jazeera English: Lebanese Rivals Continue Battles Over Syria (August 23, 2012)
- BBC: Tensions Remain High in Tripoli (Lebanon) (August 22, 2012)

Each of these articles points out the increasing violence in the disputes--there are now 12 dead and more than 100 wounded in Lebanon through the sectarian fighting that results in taking sides in the Syrian conflict.  In addition, there have been back-and-forth kidnappings across the Syrian-Lebanese border.  All of this has the United Nations calling for international support in keeping the Syrian conflict out of Lebanon.  This CNN video shows more about these clashes:



Yet, rhetoric and pressures have grown among the international communities as well.  Syria's government admits to having chemical/biological weapons and would use them against foreign involvement-and then-U.S. and U.K. leaders have spoken out strongly about the use of those weapons-and then-Russia and China government leaders have stressed that the "west" needs to stay out of it.

When we travel to Lebanon next week, we will not be anywhere near the current areas of dispute; however, tensions and anxiety levels are increasing throughout the country as people know more who are affected and witness increasing numbers of refugees in need.  This is a time of great need, and an opportunity for the Church to be the Church God intended, offering services of hope and love.  It is exciting to discover more through the ChoG in Lebanon as well as through H4L--as we learn more, we hope to include more of you in the opportunity to act compassionately, as well.

As you pray for us in Egypt, pray for our increasing opportunities to serve the Middle East, specifically in Lebanon and to refugees there.  Thank you for your continuing support and prayers...