The staff for Heart for Lebanon along with the leadership of founders Camille and Hoda Melki and Chief Operating Officer Tom Atema and his wife Chris are just wonderful, sincere, and passionate servants of the Kingdom. It was an honor and inspiring to be among them, listening to their stories, their hopes, and to see them productively working through issues to achieve greater sacrificial service.
Their retreat focused on the Scriptural theme of Matthew 9:35-38, and the practical questions of defining vision and values of the organization. Guest Nabil Safi (now the Missions Pastor of Salem ChoG in Ohio) led morning devotions along this theme, and Jim Davey (Senior Pastor of North Hills Church of God, Phoenix, AZ) led inspirational and interactive sessions to help the group process these themes together. Their leadership along with the enthusiastic participation of each staff member made for the energizing experience that made this trip a joy.
This was also a retreat, and the staff spent a lot of time in personal reflection or in group fun & games that further demonstrated that these individuals not only loved the Lord, but they genuinely liked one another. Camille, a great fan of ice cream, twice treated any interested staff member to free ice cream in the valley down below the mountain inn in which we were staying. Camille also kept the venue of the meetings changing to keep us from getting comfortable or in a classroom setting--moving from restaurant, to back room, to front patio, to behind the inn, and even up the road into the Cedars (an ancient and the larges grove of remaining cedars trees in Lebanon).
After the retreat and before being taken back to the airport, I had the opportunity to go with Camille, Tom and Chris to see the latest project of Heart for Lebanon: a micro-business venture in the form of a soap factory that helps children of the New Horizons Center. "Twice-Cleansed" soap will be making its US introduction in Washington, and there was a concerted effort to get the shipment ready. "Twice-Cleansed, the soap with a story" is a venture to not only provide for children who live with the real danger of human trafficking, but also to teach industrial and business skills in the process of providing for the alternative. There are big hopes for this and similar initiatives in the future.
As you will see from the pictures below, the retreat setting was beautiful--but the work of this group has eternal beauty because of the difference they are making for the Kingdom.
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Jim Davey leading an outdoor session behind Mon Refuge
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| the view across the street from the ice cream parlor--this is called the "Holy Valley", apparently, there is a monastery at one end of the valley and many people will hike the long trail to seek advice from the one monk who resides there. This village was the home of poet Khalil Gibran. |
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| Nabil Melki (field director of H4L) leads worship before Nabil Safi brings the morning devotions. |
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| session in "The Cedars" -- these were planted recently, near to the ancient grove in an effort to see the forests grow again. |
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| During a break, Nabil Melki took me into the "Forest of God" so that I can have a better view of this ancient grove of Cedars. |
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| it is now forbidden to cut branches or the cedars themselves; souvenirs are made from fallen trees after they are declared dead. |
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| near one end of the forest, one old cedar has a few trunks that wouldn't fall; years ago, a sculptor was commissioned to make some carvings on parts of these. The highest carving is this one of the crucified Christ, while lower ones have faces, some of which are looking downward as if bowed. |
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| In the forest is an old stone chapel that has old cedar furnishings; the acoustics in here were amazing! Nabil was surprised to see the door standing open because it is rarely open these days. |
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| Sun setting over The Cedars |
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| Most of the group gathering for a picture before the sun sets. |
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