Lebanon #7: Fresh
Lebanon #7: Fresh

“And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'”—Revelation 21:5 (ESV)

Fresh. It is a word we hear on a daily basis on our travels around Lebanon and in our visits with TOF partners here. It modifies the word “money.” Fresh money. Coming from a printing family, I imagine they are speaking of freshly printed banknotes, the ones that come easily from the ATM when we insert our plastic cards and punch in our PINs.

But fresh money here is something different. It is the money that comes to you after the economic crisis began in Lebanon many months ago.

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Lebanon #6: Shnorh agaliem
Lebanon #6: Shnorh agaliem

When visiting a place where the language spoken is not your own, it is most helpful to learn key phrases such as, “hello” and “goodbye.” Perhaps more important than these, however, is to learn how to say, “thank you.”

As our Outreach team continued our visit with partners in ministry both old and new in Lebanon on our first such excursion since the outbreak of the pandemic, we learned a new way to say thank you. “Shnorh agaliem,” was the answer when we asked the Rev. Dr. Paul Hadostian, president of Haigazian University in Beirut, the school founded in 1955 to train pastors and teachers for the Armenian Evangelical Church. Literally, shnor alegiam means, “I have received grace,” he told us. Indeed.

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Lebanon #5: The Spirit changes us
Lebanon #5: The Spirit changes us

What sweet reunions on this Pentecost Sunday at the Presbyterian Church in Tripoli today! I really do feel like I have come home when I walk into this beloved church and thank God for the long friendship with their pastor, Rev Rola Sleiman. Our worship was wonderful amongst so many dear friends, and The Outreach Foundation’s board chair, Rev Jack Baca, brought the message (made even more eloquent by our colleague Rev Nuhad Tomeh doing the translation into Arabic!)

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Lebanon #4: Where is God in the Midst of Suffering?
Lebanon #4: Where is God in the Midst of Suffering?

Where Is God in the Midst of Suffering?

The question has been asked since the beginning of time. Theologians have been quick to write their responses. The Bible gives its “Emmanuel” answer. Still, the question announces itself seemingly not fully satisfied with our words or our thoughts.

Today the question was asked again of me as our team visited a refugee school operated by the Synod of Syria and Lebanon near the Syrian border, only two hours by car north of Beirut. Upon arriving at the school and hearing from its leadership that question announced itself loudly.

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Lebanon #3: The Irresistible Force
Lebanon #3: The Irresistible Force

by Julie Burgess for the team

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

The person who thinks that when an immovable object meets an irresistible force that nothing happens has probably never met Linda Maktaby. She personifies the hopefulness and belief in that promise in Jeremiah.

Linda, a graduate of the Near East School of Theology in Beirut, is the executive director of Blessed School, a ministry established by the English in 1868 originally as a school for the blind. 153 years later, it still serves those with vision impairments, but its main focus is now on those with disabilities on the autism spectrum. As we sat with her on Friday, we encountered another fully-turned-on spigot freely flowing with the love of Jesus. If the firehose analogy can be used again here, encountering Linda will leave you drenched with that love.

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Lebanon #2: Loving Jesus
Lebanon #2: Loving Jesus

by Julie Burgess for the team: Marilyn Borst, Rev. Mark Mueller, Rev. Jack Baca, Rev. Nuhad Tomeh

We have all made our first travel outside the U.S. since the pandemic began here to Lebanon, a place familiar to us all. Traveling seems different, like everything else. We have learned a new language of COVID forms and PCR tests and even the mysterious CovidLebTrack app that baffled us all. What hasn’t changed is the length of the journey and the almost mandatory three flights, depending on where you began the journey. Needless to say, you arrive exhausted. I know I did.

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Lebanon #1: A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN
Lebanon #1: A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE UNDER HEAVEN

by Marilyn Borst, Associate Director for Partnership Development

“It’s about time…” is an expression that we use (often, with a hint of impatience, or, perhaps, standing with our arms crossed over our chest, tapping our toe and wearing a bit of a scowl) to express the arrival of a long-awaited person or event.

Ecclesiastes 3 begins with this divine reminder: To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…

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Third Thursday Treks: Virtual Mission Trip to Lebanon and Syria
Third Thursday Treks: Virtual Mission Trip to Lebanon and Syria

Come experience “life on the road” with The Outreach Foundation in a fast-paced (1 hour) virtual mission-vision trip that will mirror a real mission-vision trip with us!

Join Marilyn Borst (and, sometimes, a co-host) to experience God-at-work around the world.

Watch the replay of our first Trek to Lebanon and Syria below.

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Egypt #5: Vital Mission and Frustrated Plans 
Egypt #5: Vital Mission and Frustrated Plans 

by Paul Arveson and Nancy Fox

As forecasts predicted, we awoke Thursday to a driving rainstorm in Alexandria that extended throughout Egypt. The President had proactively closed schools, government offices, banks, etc., for two days all over Egypt, which is not built for rain. Roads were washed out, ceilings and walls collapsed, water and electricity were knocked out. We were simply inconvenienced as our plans changed and instead of being able to visit and see the sites and meet some of the members, the pastors came to present to us at our hotel. Finding a private, quiet place to gather was not easy. Initially, they sent us to the bar, though that caused our Egyptian friends great discomfort.

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Egypt #4: On the Road to Alexandria
Egypt #4: On the Road to Alexandria

by Kathy Arveson

After breakfast on Wednesday, we left Cairo, heading for Alexandria. We took the desert highway and were amazed by the beautiful new suspension bridge that has significantly reduced travel time. Around 11 a.m. we visited the Macarios Coptic monastery and had a private tour with “Abuna” (Father) Mercurios. The Macarios monastery was founded in the 4th century and has been in continuous operation. It now has 160 monks and 300 acres of land. The monks raise date palms, vegetables, rice, mangoes, fish, and cattle to sustain the monastery. We toured the original chapels, cells, and rectory, viewing relics, art, and icons from various periods. The monastery is very strong in scripture knowledge and prayer, and we found Abuna Mercurios to be welcoming and informative.

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