Beirut Lebanon
There is this undercurrent that you pick up on as you walk
down the tenant streets. With 2 million refugees in Lebanon, that is a lot of
pressure on the financial, health, utilities, and other infrastructure in the
country.
You couldn’t help but notice that many of these refugees
were in a holding pattern. Waiting for
the war to be over, waiting to return to Syria, waiting for the UN to grant
them access to Canada, waiting…and while they were waiting, they were having
children and their children were growing up.
Most of the young people looked older – wearied from the
years. I couldn’t help but be reminded
of the three sieges of Jerusalem by Babylon.
First, Nebucanzzer took the noble men and educated (Daniel and friends),
then, he took the trades people, and what was left in Jerusalem were the
weak. It seems that most of the young
people have left Syria.
I had the opportunity to do a teaching as part of the local
discipleship class. There were about 60
women in attendance and 10 men. I taught
on Daniel and being in the lions den.
Basically, Daniel was faithful and loved by God, yet he still had to
face the lions. When I shared this
story, I realized that some of these women would be killed due to their
faith. Their lions were going to eat
some of them.
I encouraged them
to learn to read and write, to be mentored with a stronger Christian, and
specifically challenged them that if I returned in 6 months would they be
different? At the end, I had several
women ask for prayers for their children and themselves. It was humbling to serve in such a manner. I was a unique creature for these women. I had a profession. I taught bible studies. And, I had a husband.
My group conducted over 30 home visits while we were in
Beirut. All of our visits were Syrian
refugees associated with the Nazarene church in Beirut. All lived in tenant
buildings. Most lived in 1 room, where
the family ate and slept. The children
were not in school and their parents themselves have very little education. New believers were encouraged to start
mentoring people (2-3) in your home immediately.
Memorable Stories
One young woman had two sewing machines set up in her
apartment. She said that an organization
had helped her establish her in a trade.
She was able to provide some income for her family this way. When she became a Christian, her father gave her photo to
ISIS and had her brother join ISIS.
Basically, a hit was put out on her for betraying her faith and her
family. She and her family had gone into hiding until the hired hitman was
caught
Another woman had a child that was sick, She had prayed at
the Mosque, she had asked for healing from Allah, yet, none came. So, she decided to pray that if Jesus were
real, her son would be healed. And, the
next day, the child’s fever broke and he was eating normally. That’s how she knew Jesus was real. There were many stories of healing. These people were stacked in housing, poor
living conditions, and inadequate health care.
They had to depend on Jesus to heal them.
Our interpreter was 14 when he left Syria. He had been on the streets of Beirut for 5
years. His education was limited, but he
wanted to go to Argentina and become a computer programmer. I have no doubt that one-day; he will be
working in a software company in California…just as he wishes to.
I had a small six-year-old girl with small gold earrings
curl up next to me in a chair. I
wondered why she took to me – a stranger.
It wasn’t long until I saw two older girls start kicking her chair. She was being bullied. I turned around and glared at the girls and
they stopped. But the little girl had
figured out who would protect her.
When I visited in her home, the young girl immediately sat on my
lap. She wanted to play with my watch,
bracelets, and rings. Then, she took pen
and paper and started drawing. Her
family couldn’t afford to send her to school.
I think this experience hit me the most.
This young girl knew she had to have a protector. It wasn’t lost on me that the wrong
conditions or the wrong person, she could be a victim of sex trafficking or
worse.
I met several women Syrian pastors. And, like the woman I am, we started visiting
and soon bonded. They found great
delight in finding out I couldn’t cook and didn’t have children. They went on to tease me all weekend that I
would make a horrible Arab wife. (Good
thing I married an American). As the weekend proceeded, the women approached me over and
over and shared their stories. Mainly,
they told me that my laughter was healing to their heart. They hadn’t laughed in so long. And, with me, it was easy.
The Syrian pastors I met were very different than the refugees
I had worked with in Beirut. They were
committed to staying in Syria. They were
going to rebuild. They were going to
survive. They were not waiting on
anything. They were moving in the flow
of God. After each story, the women
would all say, “God is sovereign.” These
women had claimed it as their mantra.
And, quite refreshing, they owned it.
One morning, a delightful young woman approached me
wanting to share her testimony and a selfie with me. After we had secured a translator, she began
to share how God had changed her life. With
ISIS, she had seen her brother beheaded.
She shared how she was bitter.
How could God allow such things and yet demand love in return? Then she went on to say that one-day, she felt like her
son, who was a mute, shouldn’t go to work.
She said, “Jesus spoke to my heart”.
So, she desperately searched and tried to contact her son. Her son, who was a barber by trade,
communicated that he didn’t go to work because he felt like he shouldn’t. Later that morning, the barbershop was bombed
killing 12 people in total. Then she
said, I knew then that God was good. And
that He didn’t cause my brother’s suffering.
When the young woman had finished her story, there were
more selfies and about 5 other women surrounded us. They each asked me to pray specifically something
for them. So, I wrote it down. Then, they asked what I could they pray for
me. I told them what I needed prayers
for. And, they each wrote it in their
bible. My name – in their bible. I was so humbled by the gesture. They valued me much more than I had valued
them.
Another woman told me that she had been very wealthy in
Syria. She had a restaurant and a 3500
square foot house. She had several
cars. However, in 24 hours her house was
robbed. Her restaurant blown apart, and
she was living in a home with 15 other people.
God had saved her and her family and she loved Him for it.
Another women, a teacher of Arabic literature,
lived in a resort town and loved skiing.
She discipled 15 women each week in her home. When I asked, how do you host them, when you
only have electricity 2 hours a day and resources are limited? She said, that at the start of the war, she
planted various fruit trees: cherry, apple, apricot, lemon…. etc. She said that she often could only give fruit
to the women. Her planning and her fruit
for lack of better word struck me. It
solidified what bearing good fruit meant in my mind.
At the end of the session one evening, I was asked to walk
with the women around the hotel as they shopped. The Syrian women said that Lebanese prices
were much higher than Syria and they couldn’t afford anything. As we windowed shop, we talked about
Christmas and whether they decorated.
Both women were wealthy and said that before the war they had trees and presents. However, now, some put trees up, some didn’t,
but the most profound thing said…I use to buy gifts for my family. But now, each year, I put a bow on my head
and say, you get me!
Conclusion
Upon my return, my neighbor asked what my biggest insight
was…the question that haunts me from this trip is would I be faithful? At the loss of family, business, possession,
income, and comfort, would I be able to stand a faithful
Christian- before my God and be happy, joyful, and content as these people that I had met.
