Monday, March 24, 2008

Update From Beirut



I received an email update from my parents this morning. They have spent the last three days in a remote village in the mountains outside Beirut, conducting a children's camp. They are heading home tonight, but will not arrive in Nashville until late afternoon tomorrow. The pictures they sent are at the top.......


Hey guys.
We just arrived back from camp. It was a great time. We are very tired and hot. It is unsually warm for this season here. In the 80's today. We are spending the evening relaxing.
There is so much to tell I am sure we will have to be home and process it all to get it on paper. When we think of children at camp you think of happy cheerful kids playing without much of a care in the world. But we had a little girl with Scistic Fibrocis, a boy with lukemia, a little boy, Tony who witnessed a relative commit suicide, another boy who had a blood disease. He had to be on a machine to cleanse his blood for 12 hours every three days. One girl 12 years old just lost her mother to cancer. Dad remarried quickly and she is not handling it well. On little guy is beaten frequently by his parents and clung to his counselor the first 2 days for security. It was heart wrenching.
When we left today several children asked for our email addresses. Some said, Will you please come back in the summer for our next camp? They were so disappointment when we said we can't. It was hard to say good bye. We were all fighting back the tears.
God has softened our hearts for the believers here in Lebanon. They are faithful servants doing their best to reach others in their community for Christ. They are not ashamed of the gospel. The children heard the message of salvation clearly this weekend. Some prayed the prayer of salvations. We continue to pray that they will take that message home and share it with their family. That they will not forget the message of the camp. You are loved just as you are.
We will be siteseeing tomorrow and then head for the airport about 11pm. Arrive in Nashville around 4:30 pm your time
Can't wait to get home to you.
Love Mom

I have to admit that I am anxious to have them home safe and sound, but I am thankful for the opportunity they have had, and the impact they made on the Lebanese children. I can't wait till we see them in a few weeks. I'm sure they will have lots of pictures and stories to tell!

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