Monday, April 23, 2007
update from Erin in Lebanon
Hi, this is from Erin's xanga (www.xanga.com/ulsterpeace), it made jenn and I cry this morning when we read it. We are so proud of our teams in Rwanda and Lebanon at the moment...
lebanon week 3 & 4
week 3 and 4.
(pictures just aren’t happening…there’s been a slow internet connection…but please don’t let that stop you from reading on!)
Much has happened! And as we reach the ½ way mark of this grand adventure, I’ve been wondering how to communicate some of the exciting things that have happened. Instead of going through the itinerary with you, how about I just give you some stories?
king’s kids camp
Last week the team and I spent our time at an overnight Kid’s Kings camp that was held in a school. Along with a team of YWAMers from here and other helpers, the camp went off well, with an emphasis on Forgiveness and walking closer with Jesus. It was definitely a change of pace, keeping up with 9-16 year olds for four days!
The highlight for me was just to get to know some of the kids in a deeper way than I’d get to if we were just doing an assembly at a school, or some one time presentation. Throughout the week, our team presented our Forgiveness Programme in 6 different ½ sessions. I loved putting new creative twists to the programme—making banners, more interaction with the kids, new movie clips, and using different aspects of faith and of the intricate story of Joseph in Genesis.
On Thursday, we took the 30 kids from the camp into the very centre of Beirut. Right now there are thousands of people camping near there, and have been for months, to protest the government. Because of the protestors, many people have abandoned city centre, and for the lack of people there, many shops have shut down. The kids felt that they should go there and pray. It was a powerful time, watching children take leadership in prayer and vision for their own country and government.
louizeh evangelical school
This week we’ve been in an evangelical private school that’s about a 40 min trip from where we’re staying in Damour. When the school read about the curriculum we want to bring, they wanted us to come and take each of the 2 chapels in the morning, and every bible class that they give throughout a week. That’s somewhere close to 20 different sessions we’ve done! (It’s given me a new appreciation of teachers—your poor feet and backs! And vocal cords!)
The school is very special, with a broad range of backgrounds of the students. Though it’s an evangelical school, 70% of the students also come from either a Druze or Muslim backgrounds. Knowing this, we were advised to present our programme from a secular standpoint. Some, when religion or Christian faith is mentioned from the front, will switch off. We definitely didn’t want any kids to switch off, if we could help it, as we were coming with the message that any human is capable of giving forgiveness—this is not a value saved only for those in the Christian faith.
During our times in the classes, we spoke about Northern Ireland, and used its history and reconciliation process as a neutral way to talk about forgiveness and reconciliation. Those of you who have felt it in your heart of hearts that Northern Ireland is meant to be a blessing to many nations—we’ve seen that first hand this week. Though none on our team is from Northern Ireland, we tried to represent this land we’ve come to love, as best we could. As we spoke about Belfast and the people there, and spoke out people’s stories, we heard students and teachers make connections between Northern Ireland and Lebanon. Two geographically small countries that have caught the world’s attention at different stages.
Also during our classroom sessions, we would open up the time for questions. Usually we had more questions than we could answer in the time we had. If the questions the students were asking were any reflection of the deep thought processes that were going on in their heads and hearts, I would say that forgiveness has started to take root at Louizeh’s school.
I had a few experiences this week at the school that I really want to share. One thing you must know as I write, is that this group of students is not just dealing with forgiveness on a personal level, but also on a national level. A lot of their personal hurt has been caused by bigger powers, groups fighting on their own soil. Maybe that’s different than some of us, and it definitely challenged the borders of forgiveness—how far does it go, really?
One day during a chapel with the older students, David decided instead of telling his story, he wanted to continue the discussions and processing people were doing. So for 5 minutes, the chapel filled with over 200 students started buzzing. The seven of us spaced ourselves out best as we could. I headed to the back, and as I climbed the stairs I realized I was headed into dangerous territory—the 12th grade boys.
I sat down behind a row, and five or six young men turned around. After the awkward chit-chat that has to happen when opening up a conversation with strangers, one said, “He has a question to ask you, “ and nodded toward a young man that was sitting in front of me on my right, a guy with glasses, light skin and dark hair. He was shy but direct. He looked at me and asked, “You’re American?” I said yes, and he explained that he’s from the south of Lebanon. And then he asked, “Are you saying that I should to forgive Israel for what they did last summer?” I actually attempted to answer his question, and I don’t think I finished a single sentence, but sort of rambled on…then when my heart caught up with my mouth, I froze.
When I stopped talking, I started crying. The young man said, now him with tears, too, “I saw kids without heads or hands…”
And then I said to him, trying to speak clearly, though we were both emotional, keeping eye contact, “Maybe I should just stop trying to answer your question. I think you need to know that I am so sorry about what happened in your country last summer. And I want to apologize for America’s role in the suffering.” I didn’t know where that came from! I’ve heard of people asking for forgiveness on behalf of different nations and peoples, but I’d never thought I would feel in a place to do it. But then I found myself in a hard wooden chair in a school in Lebanon, 2 feet away from someone who experienced and saw and heard things that no human should ever have to. And how could I ever ask him to forgive his enemies if I couldn’t ask his forgiveness?
(If this is hard for you to read, or hard for you to get your head around, it’s ok. It’s hard for me, too. I can’t explain or understand governments or voting processes or international relations. But I think perspectives start to change and soften when you’re close to suffering, or someone who’s suffered. Jesus was close to suffering, and he gave answers in the forms of stories about seeds, trees, houses, birds…There’s an “everyone’s welcome” feel to this Kingdom, and that’s what I base my apology on.)
One class’ question and answer period was harder than others. No one seemed to have any questions. After what seemed like an agonizing eternity, one 15 or 16 year old boy raised his hand in the back of the classroom. He asked firmly, “So what am I supposed to do with the anger that has haunted me for my entire life?”
Because we were presenting secularly, it does not mean that we do not feel the movement of the Spirit, especially when answering questions from the classes. I said something to him about how I might answer his question, if only he hadn’t said the bit about haunting him for his whole life. My heart in that moment was broken for this tough boy in the back of the class, who did not break his stare. I talked about anger, and how some things have built up over time, so that as time goes on, as 15 years has passed in his life, the haunting anger (what a phrase!) becomes more and more unshakable. I told him to take time, to give himself time with himself and with a trusted friend and a school counsellor, to just begin to help, that is—if the question was about him. Coral added brilliantly about how anger sometimes comes after you’ve been hurt, or after something wrong has happened. She challenged him to do something positive with the anger, so that the same sort of hurt won’t happen to someone else.
The bell rang and we exited the class on our way to the next one. But David shared that as he was the last one leaving the class, that same young man came up to David and look intently at him and said, “Wait, I need to tell you. No one has ever been able to answer that question before. No one. Thank you.” And he shook David’s hand and walked away in a hurry.
From the older classes we entertained a lot of questions about peace and war, about America and the UK, about forgiveness on a grander scale, and forgiveness against the disastrous things that happen in life. To the many-times-asked question, “Is forgiveness always necessary?,” we answered over and over again, “We believe it is.”
During a younger class, a boy in the front finished our time with this group of students by raising his hand and asking this question: “When all the walls come down in Belfast and Northern Ireland is totally at peace, where will you go next to fix the problems?” Another one said, “Yeah! Come to Lebanon!” We all got wide-eyed and big-hearted and just “aaaawwwwwwwww-ed” at the boy! The sweetness and innocence of a child’s hope is sometimes hard to take into our reality-coated minds.
Several students came up to us and spoke about friendships that had been renewed during the week through forgiveness. One girl found it particularly helpful that we said that “Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting.” Another young man I spoke to during one of the breaks ended our conversation with saying that this whole concept is new to him, and to many in the school. I find that exhilarating! Bringing a Kingdom principle freshly to someone is like sharing Jesus with an “un-reached people group” for the first time.
Kids say funny things, too! One guy brought me a floppy disk and said, “Here, there’s a file on here with an image of God on it.” So let it be known, someone in Lebanon fit God onto a floppy! Another young man came up to me today, extended his hand and smiled, and then as we shook hands said, “Interesting outfit!” Listen, you gotta get creative when you pack a small bag for 2 months!
letters for lebanon
After every class, we read excerpts from the beautiful letters you emailed and wrote. When we read the parts of your letters in class, I loved saying, “from Ruthie in Northern Ireland,” or “from Jan in Missouri.” We truly feel we’re representing many more than just the seven in our group. Also, people have taken the book and read it all the way through, and have been deeply moved by your prayers and words of encouragement.
Thank you for your prayers for our team, for guidance, and protection. We have undoubtedly felt led and safe. Next week we are going to American University in Beirut (AUB) to give 3 seminars on Forgiveness at a student center, again we’ll be doing this secularly.
I should really thank and honour a few people—Jihad Nasr, our host; Dr. Steven White, principle of LES; Cecilia, guidance counsellor at LES; all the bible class teachers who let us take over their classes for a week!
lebanon week 3 & 4
week 3 and 4.
(pictures just aren’t happening…there’s been a slow internet connection…but please don’t let that stop you from reading on!)
Much has happened! And as we reach the ½ way mark of this grand adventure, I’ve been wondering how to communicate some of the exciting things that have happened. Instead of going through the itinerary with you, how about I just give you some stories?
king’s kids camp
Last week the team and I spent our time at an overnight Kid’s Kings camp that was held in a school. Along with a team of YWAMers from here and other helpers, the camp went off well, with an emphasis on Forgiveness and walking closer with Jesus. It was definitely a change of pace, keeping up with 9-16 year olds for four days!
The highlight for me was just to get to know some of the kids in a deeper way than I’d get to if we were just doing an assembly at a school, or some one time presentation. Throughout the week, our team presented our Forgiveness Programme in 6 different ½ sessions. I loved putting new creative twists to the programme—making banners, more interaction with the kids, new movie clips, and using different aspects of faith and of the intricate story of Joseph in Genesis.
On Thursday, we took the 30 kids from the camp into the very centre of Beirut. Right now there are thousands of people camping near there, and have been for months, to protest the government. Because of the protestors, many people have abandoned city centre, and for the lack of people there, many shops have shut down. The kids felt that they should go there and pray. It was a powerful time, watching children take leadership in prayer and vision for their own country and government.
louizeh evangelical school
This week we’ve been in an evangelical private school that’s about a 40 min trip from where we’re staying in Damour. When the school read about the curriculum we want to bring, they wanted us to come and take each of the 2 chapels in the morning, and every bible class that they give throughout a week. That’s somewhere close to 20 different sessions we’ve done! (It’s given me a new appreciation of teachers—your poor feet and backs! And vocal cords!)
The school is very special, with a broad range of backgrounds of the students. Though it’s an evangelical school, 70% of the students also come from either a Druze or Muslim backgrounds. Knowing this, we were advised to present our programme from a secular standpoint. Some, when religion or Christian faith is mentioned from the front, will switch off. We definitely didn’t want any kids to switch off, if we could help it, as we were coming with the message that any human is capable of giving forgiveness—this is not a value saved only for those in the Christian faith.
During our times in the classes, we spoke about Northern Ireland, and used its history and reconciliation process as a neutral way to talk about forgiveness and reconciliation. Those of you who have felt it in your heart of hearts that Northern Ireland is meant to be a blessing to many nations—we’ve seen that first hand this week. Though none on our team is from Northern Ireland, we tried to represent this land we’ve come to love, as best we could. As we spoke about Belfast and the people there, and spoke out people’s stories, we heard students and teachers make connections between Northern Ireland and Lebanon. Two geographically small countries that have caught the world’s attention at different stages.
Also during our classroom sessions, we would open up the time for questions. Usually we had more questions than we could answer in the time we had. If the questions the students were asking were any reflection of the deep thought processes that were going on in their heads and hearts, I would say that forgiveness has started to take root at Louizeh’s school.
I had a few experiences this week at the school that I really want to share. One thing you must know as I write, is that this group of students is not just dealing with forgiveness on a personal level, but also on a national level. A lot of their personal hurt has been caused by bigger powers, groups fighting on their own soil. Maybe that’s different than some of us, and it definitely challenged the borders of forgiveness—how far does it go, really?
One day during a chapel with the older students, David decided instead of telling his story, he wanted to continue the discussions and processing people were doing. So for 5 minutes, the chapel filled with over 200 students started buzzing. The seven of us spaced ourselves out best as we could. I headed to the back, and as I climbed the stairs I realized I was headed into dangerous territory—the 12th grade boys.
I sat down behind a row, and five or six young men turned around. After the awkward chit-chat that has to happen when opening up a conversation with strangers, one said, “He has a question to ask you, “ and nodded toward a young man that was sitting in front of me on my right, a guy with glasses, light skin and dark hair. He was shy but direct. He looked at me and asked, “You’re American?” I said yes, and he explained that he’s from the south of Lebanon. And then he asked, “Are you saying that I should to forgive Israel for what they did last summer?” I actually attempted to answer his question, and I don’t think I finished a single sentence, but sort of rambled on…then when my heart caught up with my mouth, I froze.
When I stopped talking, I started crying. The young man said, now him with tears, too, “I saw kids without heads or hands…”
And then I said to him, trying to speak clearly, though we were both emotional, keeping eye contact, “Maybe I should just stop trying to answer your question. I think you need to know that I am so sorry about what happened in your country last summer. And I want to apologize for America’s role in the suffering.” I didn’t know where that came from! I’ve heard of people asking for forgiveness on behalf of different nations and peoples, but I’d never thought I would feel in a place to do it. But then I found myself in a hard wooden chair in a school in Lebanon, 2 feet away from someone who experienced and saw and heard things that no human should ever have to. And how could I ever ask him to forgive his enemies if I couldn’t ask his forgiveness?
(If this is hard for you to read, or hard for you to get your head around, it’s ok. It’s hard for me, too. I can’t explain or understand governments or voting processes or international relations. But I think perspectives start to change and soften when you’re close to suffering, or someone who’s suffered. Jesus was close to suffering, and he gave answers in the forms of stories about seeds, trees, houses, birds…There’s an “everyone’s welcome” feel to this Kingdom, and that’s what I base my apology on.)
One class’ question and answer period was harder than others. No one seemed to have any questions. After what seemed like an agonizing eternity, one 15 or 16 year old boy raised his hand in the back of the classroom. He asked firmly, “So what am I supposed to do with the anger that has haunted me for my entire life?”
Because we were presenting secularly, it does not mean that we do not feel the movement of the Spirit, especially when answering questions from the classes. I said something to him about how I might answer his question, if only he hadn’t said the bit about haunting him for his whole life. My heart in that moment was broken for this tough boy in the back of the class, who did not break his stare. I talked about anger, and how some things have built up over time, so that as time goes on, as 15 years has passed in his life, the haunting anger (what a phrase!) becomes more and more unshakable. I told him to take time, to give himself time with himself and with a trusted friend and a school counsellor, to just begin to help, that is—if the question was about him. Coral added brilliantly about how anger sometimes comes after you’ve been hurt, or after something wrong has happened. She challenged him to do something positive with the anger, so that the same sort of hurt won’t happen to someone else.
The bell rang and we exited the class on our way to the next one. But David shared that as he was the last one leaving the class, that same young man came up to David and look intently at him and said, “Wait, I need to tell you. No one has ever been able to answer that question before. No one. Thank you.” And he shook David’s hand and walked away in a hurry.
From the older classes we entertained a lot of questions about peace and war, about America and the UK, about forgiveness on a grander scale, and forgiveness against the disastrous things that happen in life. To the many-times-asked question, “Is forgiveness always necessary?,” we answered over and over again, “We believe it is.”
During a younger class, a boy in the front finished our time with this group of students by raising his hand and asking this question: “When all the walls come down in Belfast and Northern Ireland is totally at peace, where will you go next to fix the problems?” Another one said, “Yeah! Come to Lebanon!” We all got wide-eyed and big-hearted and just “aaaawwwwwwwww-ed” at the boy! The sweetness and innocence of a child’s hope is sometimes hard to take into our reality-coated minds.
Several students came up to us and spoke about friendships that had been renewed during the week through forgiveness. One girl found it particularly helpful that we said that “Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting.” Another young man I spoke to during one of the breaks ended our conversation with saying that this whole concept is new to him, and to many in the school. I find that exhilarating! Bringing a Kingdom principle freshly to someone is like sharing Jesus with an “un-reached people group” for the first time.
Kids say funny things, too! One guy brought me a floppy disk and said, “Here, there’s a file on here with an image of God on it.” So let it be known, someone in Lebanon fit God onto a floppy! Another young man came up to me today, extended his hand and smiled, and then as we shook hands said, “Interesting outfit!” Listen, you gotta get creative when you pack a small bag for 2 months!
letters for lebanon
After every class, we read excerpts from the beautiful letters you emailed and wrote. When we read the parts of your letters in class, I loved saying, “from Ruthie in Northern Ireland,” or “from Jan in Missouri.” We truly feel we’re representing many more than just the seven in our group. Also, people have taken the book and read it all the way through, and have been deeply moved by your prayers and words of encouragement.
Thank you for your prayers for our team, for guidance, and protection. We have undoubtedly felt led and safe. Next week we are going to American University in Beirut (AUB) to give 3 seminars on Forgiveness at a student center, again we’ll be doing this secularly.
I should really thank and honour a few people—Jihad Nasr, our host; Dr. Steven White, principle of LES; Cecilia, guidance counsellor at LES; all the bible class teachers who let us take over their classes for a week!
