Arrived at Dar el Awlad

Okay folks, I'm not sure if I will be able to put a coherent thought together tonight, so if this deteriorates into stream-of-consciousness, please have mercy.  After 15 hours of flight time and being awake for more than 30 hours, I am toast.  However . . . we have arrived!  Here we sit on a cool evening watching some older boys play basketball, eating shawarmas with new friends and catching up with old ones.  No flight delays, no lost luggage and everyone made it through customs - so far, so good.  :o)  Beirut is absolutely beautiful sitting in the mountains - an unbelievable number of buildings that somehow seem right at home nestled into the rock one right after another.  Beirut is absolutely chaotic - no traffic lights or turn signals, just make your way in and keep your foot close to the brake and hand close to the horn.  I love it!  Beirut is absolutely, well, I'll have to give you more adjectives after I've had a night's rest and we've done some exploring.  What I can say, is that from the time we met folks at the airport, they have made us feel like family.  There is no fuss and there are no uptight formalities.  There are welcoming handshakes that have led right into dinner around the table as comfortable as being at home.  I don't know what tomorrow holds or the next two weeks, but I anticipate a lot of learning, a lot of laughing, some moments for reflection and some for exploration.  This is an amazing team to partner with - both the one from Calvary and the one from Dar el Awlad.  So, now we will rest, be ready to receive and be open to giving.  It's good to know that you are following along with us on this journey.

Julie Coston