There is a place in Lebanon that always brings calm to my soul and where a woman of faith, who can be found at that sanctuary, has that same effect. Our team went to Hamlin Nursing Home, up in the beautiful pine-covered hills of Hammana and sat under a verdant canopy of green with its Director, Sana Koreh, to learn and reflect and exhale after our long journey here.
Read MoreOur visit to the Philemon Project GROW Center, which provides Christian early childhood development programs for underserved and at-risk children in Beirut, was a reminder of the redemptive ministry to which Christ calls us when we pour ourselves out to serve “the least of these.” With 80 children ages 1-4 under their care, many of them children of domestic workers from Ethiopia and Sudan, they also focus on parent education and embrace the welfare of the entire family.
Read MoreBlessed School, tucked away in a poor area of Beirut and founded by English missionaries in 1868 as a school for the blind, now primarily serves those on the autism spectrum and with mental challenges. Our short visit with Rev. Linda Maktaby, who directs this faithful ministry, and Tony Haddad, who runs the Lebanese Evangelical Society which oversees this tender place, was a reminder of Christ’s call to serve “the least of these” whom He loves.
Read MoreIn a nation with a population of over 80 million in need of salvation, together with you, we have a lot of work to do. We dream to deliver the Light of the world to one million Iranians at any cost.
IBSD cordially invites you to join us in person at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, TX, or via Zoom on Friday, October 28, 2022, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Read MoreThe media has highlighted recent protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini. She was a 22-year-old Kurdish girl visiting Tehran with her family. Her hair was not fully covered. Read the full story here. Clashes between Iranians and police have erupted in many cities and towns across Iran. Additionally, the Iranian government has attempted to shut down the internet, social media, and mobile networks. Such blackouts are making it difficult to get reliable information from Iran. To date, at least 51 people have been killed and over 1,700 arrested.
Read MoreThe country of Iran is faced with many uncertainties. In the midst of socio-cultural and economic fragility, Iran is experiencing what can only be described as a spiritual revolution. A recent report conducted by a secular non-profit organization reported that 1.2 million Iranians identify as Christians, one million of whom are believers from a Muslim background. Not only is the number of those identifying as Christians in Iran much higher than what many expected, but the rate of growth of the church is also exponential. In January 2021, The Economist magazine reported that “Christianity is growing faster in Iran than in any other country.”
Read MoreIn the past four decades, millions of Iranian people have heard the Message or have seen visions and dreams of Jesus. As a result, hearts and lives are being transformed! The leadership of the Iranian Bible Society in Diaspora, an Outreach partner, has made a four-year commitment to deliver one million Farsi Bibles to give away for free inside Iran!
Read More“You are Lebanon’s greatest assets”
Haigazian University marked the end of a successful 2021-2022 academic year by holding its 62nd annual commencement exercises on June 3rd, 2022 on its campus in Beirut. In an atmosphere of joy, 107 undergraduates and graduates received their bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the first in-person ceremony since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The event was streamed live on Facebook to allow a larger number of proud onlookers to watch their loved ones as they embarked on a new phase of their lives.
Read MoreThe 89th commencement service took place on June 11, 2022, in the Grace Chapel. Five students graduated: one with a bachelor’s degree in theology, one with a bachelor’s degree in theological studies, and three with master’s degrees in divinity. The speaker was Dr. Peter Ford, assistant professor of Islamic Studies at NEST, who is retiring after ten years in Lebanon and over 40 years of missionary service in the Middle East and Africa.
Read MoreAfter decades of difficulties and hesitation to build churches or renovate the old ones, the Egyptian church is now able to build in a massive way. Many building projects are taking place in different parts of the country. A great example is a church in a village in Upper Egypt called Kalandol. This church is very old and has a building that has been there for almost 100 years without any kind of renovation or reconstruction. Peter Gamal, a new graduate from the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, was sent to pastor this church. Miraculously, he managed to get a license to rebuild the church — and the entire congregation is involved in the project!
Read MoreThe situation “on the ground” is pretty grim — both Syria and Lebanon are in the midst of economic collapse. Our major partner in both countries is our Presbyterian family, the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon. It is hard to get a grasp on the “direness” of the context in which the Synod churches do ministry but these sobering assessments from the World Bank may help:
Read MoreWhen I hear “Mosul,” I think of the Church in that place, specifically the Presbyterian Church there which I first visited in 1998 (my first of 15 visits to Iraq). Where I was led on foot through a winding “rabbit warren” of streets — too narrow for cars — to stand in front of an ornate, carved doorway in a wall with my eye drawn upwards to see in a tear-shaped rondel the words, in English, “The Protestant Church.”
Read MoreIf Matthew 25:40 had a modern “footnote,” it might say “Go, see an example of this in the Beqaa Valley at Together for the Family.” Indeed, this collection of ministries, overseen by their Executive Director Izdihar Kassis, consistently amazes me with its caring and creativity for serving Syrian refugees: educational classes for the little ones who have access to no other schools; medical/dental clinics; job training in sewing, carpentry and hair/makeup application; baby care with new mothers…the list goes on and on.
Read MoreThey will know we are Christians by our love…
After two years of a shutdown, begun by protests over government corruption and then continued because of the pandemic, it gave me much joy to see two of the four reopened schools for refugee children on my recent trip to Lebanon!
On the outskirts of the large city of Zahle is the small village of Kab Elias. The National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon has had a small church and a school there for over 100 years.
Read MoreThis year, we were delighted to be able to arrange several Easter events for communities throughout the country. The main event took place on Good Friday and attracted people from all over the Ramallah district, mostly Christians but several Muslim families attended, as well. We originally expected between 400 and 600 children but welcomed at least 800 children of all ages (excluding their parents). Miraculously, we had enough candy to hand out as a previously canceled event had left us with excess, and thanks to the big area we had reserved, there was more than enough space for all of them to run and play in the beautiful weather.
Read MoreMy name is Ghadeer Hanna Khoury. I’m a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend! I’m the mother of triplets, Youhanna, Itay, and Andrew; they are six years old and a true blessing from the Lord. I have been working as the registrar at Bethlehem Bible College since 2012. The college is a blessing, with so many genuine friends who build me up every day, and of course, the word of God which we listen to daily, and which helps us grow in faith.
Read MoreUpheaval and Renewal
Over the 24 years I have known the Presbyterian Church in Iraq, I have been continually inspired by its faithful presence and witness through many trials: life under Saddam Hussein, the American invasion in 2003 which toppled the government (along with its ability to care for and protect its own people), the reign of terror by ISIS and the assorted sectarian conflicts which have destabilized the country and hindered its peace and prosperity. Two of the five churches I knew well from when I first traveled to Iraq in 1998 would, eventually, be shuttered: the Assyrian Presbyterian Church in Baghdad (isolated in what became a dangerous neighborhood) and the historic Presbyterian Church in Mosul, located in the Old City Center (“ground zero” for ISIS).
Read MoreIn February, I was pleased to lead a small team back to Egypt to be “mutually encouraged” by our partners there. A member of our team, Rachel Segars, was making her third trip with Outreach. In this excerpt from one of our trip blogs, she beautifully reflects on our visit to ETSC. Marilyn Borst, Associate Director for Partnership Development
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