Some pictures from the first day

Here is a picture of downtown Beirut from the Seminary.

Josh and Ahmed

Tim, Jad, Muhammed, Ahmed, and Assad

Michael and Ochinga looking at pictures on Josh's phone

Well we just got in from supper. After breakfast at the dining facilities here at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary we came down and went to the devotional service. This year the Seminary has over sixty students from across the Arab World. We visited with a student from Morocco and ate breakfast with two students from Syria.

Then we went up to Dar el Awlad. We sat and had coffee in the office and visited with the staff. They now have 87 children who attend the school, most of them are from the neighborhood or are Syrian refugees.

Today was Teachers Day in Lebanon (we did not know that until after we had purchased the tickets,) so there was no school today. All the boys went home this weekend but were told to come back early today as there was going to be a surprise.

We went up to the 6th grade class (they were being punished and had to come to school today). They were surprised when we walked in. We told them we had heard all the way in America that they were not doing their studies so we had to check up on them!

When the boys playing outside saw us they all came running and hollering Mr. Josh, Mr. Tim and hugged us. They asked about each person that came on the trip last year and wanted to know if they were coming back this summer.

The orphanage had cooked pizza and French fries for lunch. All of us ate in the dining room. Needless to say it was not a quiet lunch as the 20+ boys that live in the orphanage were talking, none of them using their “quiet voice!” Pizza is a special treat for the boys and they enjoyed it. After lunch we played with the boys and visited with the staff at DeA. It was a good afternoon.

I felt the staff appreciated the fact that we wanted to come and be with them. No activities, no agenda other than being with them and the boys, enjoying their company, sitting, drinking coffee and visiting. There was no rigid formality about it, it was as if we were old friends that had not seen each other since last summer and finally had a chance to visit. One really felt, that in some small way Calvary has become a part of the orphanage.

Weather was beautiful today. Cloudy, rain this morning for a while then cool this afternoon. I am not sure Josh believed that Lebanon can be cool after having only been here in the hot humid summers.

We depart down to Beirut Baptist School at 7 in the morning. Pray that we will be ready and be used in whatever manner the Lord chooses.

Tim Smith

After 26 hours of leaving Waco, we finally made it to Lebanon.  Unlike my past two times Lebanon, this time we arrived at night with cool air and rain to greet us as we stepped outside the airport.  However, I’m always astonished by the people we meet on the journey here.  This time was no different.  At the airport in London, we met an elderly couple who were on their way to Lebanon after visiting family in Seattle.  We quickly became their assistants in the airport as Tim translated for them, we directed them to the right gate, and helped carry their bags up the stairs.  All of this was met with great gratitude and a multitude of shukrans.  As we were departing our plane we met another woman who was visiting Beirut.  As we discussed what we would be doing she told us of a former PhD student she helped who had done a lot of research on American Baptist in Lebanon recently.  We are pretty sure that the Melanie, the former student she was talking about, is the same student who interviewed Sheila’s mom a few years ago about their work in Lebanon.  Once we arrived at the airport a taxi driver was waiting for us.  He quickly drove us to the seminary taking back roads to avoid military checkpoints, ignoring driving lanes, and regularly using his horn as I have become familiar with in Lebanon.  Now that we’ve had much needed showers and a good night’s rest at the seminary I can’t wait to see what else God has in store for us on this trip.

                                                                                                                                                                Josh Caballero

Well, bags are packed, passport and ticket are on the table by the door, and the car is filled with gas. The only thing left to do is to start the trip.

Josh Caballero and I are returning to Lebanon over this Spring Break, but we are not going to the orphanage where Calvary has served the last three summers. This trip, we will be working with the Beirut Baptist School. 

The Beirut Baptist School is a private school located in what is now a predominately Muslim neighborhood. It educates 1200 students K-12^th grade, who are mostly Muslim. All students are required to take Bible classes. In most of the Middle East, parents want their children to attend a private school due to the superior quality of education compared to the public government schools.

Last year, one of BBS’s students had the highest score for the whole country of Lebanon on the International Baccalaureate Final. The school also had the highest percentage of students pass this same test which is given in all Lebanese schools as a final exit exam.

Josh will be presenting drug and alcohol education programs and I will be working with the school nurse.

This type of work will be a different challenge for us compared to our church’s previous and ongoing work with the children at the orphanage. There are a lot of details expected of us that we will not know till we get there.

 We want to thank all who have made this trip possible with your generous donations. We continue to ask that you support us in prayer, so that we can be open and flexible to however the Lord leads. We want to do what we can to be faithful Calvary Baptist Church ambassadors in service to our brothers and sisters in Christ in Lebanon.

Tim Smith

Final Reflections

As someone who has worked with children and youth for as long as I can remember, I have often been told the importance of knowing your students names.  Knowing a person’s name changes things; they go from being a random stranger to being Susan or Bryan, or so on.  Likewise, there’s something about being called by your name that makes the world of difference.  It brings a sense of comfort, it implies a relationship, and if we’re honest we all like to be called by our name.  The moment we arrived at the airport in Lebanon, Ahk Fadhy and his son Daniel on separate occasions both saw me, gave me a big hug, and said, “Hello Josh.”  In that moment, I knew this trip was going to be different from last year.  Just as in cheers, I was returning to a place where everybody knew my name, okay, not everybody, but still.

When we arrived at Dar El Awlad, we were told on several occasions how thankful the staff was that we had returned this summer.  As it turns out, we are the only group who made the trip this summer and the staff wanted us to know how appreciative they were for that.  They made it known when we visited the boys in their units.  They made it known as they came out to spend time with us during breaks and before meal times.  They made it known when we gave out shoes and other gifts to the boys and to them, but more importantly, they made it known in their love for us.  We weren’t special guests who they treated with great hospitality as in years passed.  We were dear friends; we were family.

The same thing was true once the boys arrived.  There was a rush of excited greetings and introductions as we met the new boys.  Most of the old boys remembered those of us who had been there previously and we quickly picked up where we had left off the year before.  We played Risk, basketball, cards, and Jenga.  We talked on the bus and hung out outside.  Our conversations were deeper and more meaningful as our relationship strengthened from last year.  By the end of the trip it was difficult to leave our friends, but we knew that we would see each other again.

Perhaps the greatest difference from this year’s trip and last years besides the weather is the feeling I had on the trip.  Last year, I constantly found myself seeking an answer to my question if and what type of impact was made by short-term mission trips.  This year, I didn’t even feel like I was on a short-term mission trip.  I felt as if though we had returned for a reunion and joined in on the work our friends were doing.  I knew there names, they knew mine, and we had become friends and family to one another.  Perhaps the best way to sum it up is to share part of the prayer that was prayed over a few of us on our last night by one of the older boys Tarik.  “Thank you Lord for people from two opposite corners of the world who can come together and immediately be family to one another.”  Thanks be to God indeed.

Josh Caballero

Dear Calvary

Dear Calvary,

It is still hard for me to think about being on the other side of the Calvary trips to Lebanon. It could be because not that long ago I was! I was a part of the first team to come to Lebanon and was blessed by everyone I got to know while I was here; from the staff and boys, to guys my age who continue to come back because in many ways it's still home to them. These feelings and longing to be in the Middle East with my family is one reason I happen to find myself on the other side of the Calvary trip, living in Lebanon, with my family a few short years later. This year was a great opportunity for Calvary to come together and pray intently about continuing to  partner in ministry with the boys and staff here at Dar el Alwad in the face of doubts and fears regarding the safety of the team. By now you know that yes, in fact they were all safe and we were very thankful that they came.

Calvary, you helped to meet so many needs here at DEA by your presence here. It seems very simple to come and put on a two week program for twenty-five to thirty boys and spend time with them during down time. However, the facts would say otherwise to plan a trip to Lebanon in the midst of what is going on in the region is something no other church, organization, or group were willing to do this summer. The responsibility would have fallen completely on a depleted summer staff that just finished the school year a week and a half before. The staff was tired and needed some encouragement which Calvary brought in so many different forms. The gifts of new shoes and sports balls always are the first thing the kids want but they soon realize that the people continue to come back and want to spend time with the boys.

Another thing that I get to see on this side of the picture is that throughout the year there was excitement knowing that Calvary was planning on coming back again led by Papa Tim. The kids are still amazed that this white haired, bearded man from Texas can speak their heart language. It's not just the kids that continue to remember Calvary throughout the year. Brother Fady, our Residence Director continues to ask about Calvary and how everyone is doing.

As for Sara and I, we are in a different boat because Calvary is home to us and DEA is home to us, so it just feels so natural to have you guys with us during the first few weeks of July. Our whole Lebanon experience has always included Calvary in July! This is what we have come to know and we hope will continue in the future that we will see Calvary every year.

Continue to remember these boys that you have seen and met over the past three summers. On the outside you may see boys that are just causing trouble like any other boy that you meet in Waco. Each one, however, is a broken vessel that God is seeking to redeem. Some have a great understanding that Jesus loves them and seeks to know them, while many or most have reservations whether those reasons stem from family or personal issues. We as well as you, Calvary, get to share this love of Christ with the boys. The great thing is that this doesn't only happen the two weeks Calvary is here but it goes on throughout the year as you pray and remember your family here at DEA.

Jeremy Boucher

Thanks from Dar el Awlad

"Once again Lebanon made News Headlines at the beginning of the summer. The date of my take over as Field Director was rapidly approaching.  Along with the rising summer temperature, I certainly felt the heat of my new job as I was expected to make tough decisions that could affect the lives of people who live thousands of miles away.

As I reflect on the last couple of months, I praise our amazing Lord for leading us through it all. We're so thankful to the Lord for keeping the political situation in control. I also admire the men and women on the Calvary Church team who were willing to step out in faith, not counting their lives more important than ours. Their presence put a smile on the children's faces and was a source of encouragement to us all. It's always great to have team members return  a second year and watch them build meaningful relationships with both staff and boys alike.

We appreciate each one who prays, or supports our ministry through donations but it is an extra blessing when you come visit and we get to know you personally. A great big thank you to Tim, "Mister" TC, Les and Lana, Josh and Jenn, Kim, and Julie! We are thankful to Calvary church for sharing the Boucher family with us. They're valued members of our team. 'Til next time:)"

Joseph Ghattas

Field Director

Kids Alive Lebanon