Lebanon Reflections from Jason

I have a couple of reflections from our time at Dar El Awlad.  First, I continue to be mindful that we are building on a foundation that was laid by others many years ago and by those who for many years have devoted their lives to care for these boys and give them hope in Jesus Christ.  I am thankful to God to see his sustaining work and grace in this ministry and for calling us to be a part of that work.  I am reminded that one plants the seed, another waters it, but its God who gives the growth.  I am thankful to be a part of the watering and planting that goes on at Dar El Awlad.  I am also deeply amazed and full of thanksgiving for those who are there day by day and year by year to plant and to nurture the seed of the gospel in the lives of these boys--Fadi, Peggy, Daniel, Jason, Lea, Brent, Ruth, Sarah, Jeremy, the house mothers, the young men such as Tariq, Rahid, and Josef, and many others.  May God grant them living water to give to the boys and may they share in the joy of reeping the fruit that God gives through the lives of the boys.

Second, I continue to think about one boy in particular that I grew to know during my time at the boys home.  His family had been affected by the conflict between Israel and Palestine. He confessed that what he wanted was peace since conflict had displaced him and his family.  As we talked he could only envision peace through military might.  He dreamed of possibly joining a U.N. peace-keeping force in order to force cooperation and impose tranquility on what is a volatile and persisting conflict.  My prayer has been that God would give him a greater vision and hope for peace and reconciliation--that he would be an ambassador of the peace and reconcilation that God offers through Jesus Christ.  I pray that his weopons would not be an M-16 or rockets but prayer and the unconquered gospel of Jesus Christ.  While conflict has separated his family and brought him to Dar El Awlad I know that the hope and love that he sees there is the hope, peace, and love that only God can give and not the often fragile peace imposed by military strength.

~Jason Whitlark