“If I could just stick them in my backpack…”
I had this thought at least once a day in Lebanon. This country was a wild journey. It was a journey packed full of community & ministry & learning. We lived in a hostel downtown & partnered with Horizons International, working alongside them to serve the thousands of refugees living in & around the Beirut area. There was a lot of brokenness & I saw a lot of heartache, but there was also so much joy & so much discovery that I really don’t know if I will ever be able to process it all (tbh that’s probably why it’s taken me so dang long to write this blog). It might be a weird thought, but I just remember thinking throughout the whole month, “man, I just really wish my family & friends could be in my backpack right now because they would love this” or “they would totally freak out” or “they would be a great shoulder to cry on” or “they would be laughing their butts off.” So, I decided to write a blog for all of the moments throughout my time in Beirut, Lebanon that I wish you were there for in hopes that you can catch a little glimpse into why this country was my absolute favorite.
If I could stick you in my backpack…
I would take you down the streets lined with graffiti as you dodge out of the way of the craziest drivers you’ve ever seen.
I would take you to the corner store where we bought our eggs to meet my 60 year-old friend Margaret & laugh as she says something widely inappropriate.
I would take you to Sunday school so you could experience the feeling of pure love as dozens & dozens of refugee kiddos climb all over you.
I would take you to my weekly Arabic class & laugh as you try to attempt the extremely difficult, but beautiful language (I mean DANG it’s hard).
I would introduce you to the many hostel friends we’ve made so that you could grab a beer, laugh, & have some really hard, but really cool conversations.
I would take you to get the best chicken shawarma you’ll ever have.
I would bring you to the house of my dear friend Mizgin. Her family moved to the city from Syria 7 years ago & they are some of the most hospitable people you’ll ever meet. (P.S. Mizgin is going to do some WILD things for the Lord, she already is!)
I would take you to meet the incredible staff of Horizon’s International so you could witness all of the ways they are aiding the refugee crisis & sharing Jesus in the neighborhoods & camps. It was such an honor to get to work with them & learn from them.
I would bring you to the gigantic Thanksgiving feast we had with all of our international hostel friends. Our oven was broken, so we didn’t have a turkey or stuffing, but we made it work & it was so fun sharing our American tradition with people from all over the world.
I would show you the beauty in believers from people groups who hate each other coming together & worshiping the Lord in unity.
I would take you to see the movie Capernaum so you could get a glimpse into the lives of children on the streets of Beirut. (P.S. you don’t have to be in my backpack for this one! It just came out in theatre’s in the U.S. & I HIGLY recommend. It’s also up for an Oscar so check it out.)
I would take you to the refugee camps in Beqaa & show you the heartbreaking lives that millions of people are living.
I would show you the power that your personal testimony has amidst the men & women within those camps.
I would take you to see the breathtaking Cedars of Lebanon, so you could see for yourself why they’re mentioned in the Bible so often.
If I could stick you in my backpack then you would know how much more the Middle East has to offer than what you see on the news.
If I could stick you in my backpack then we could share in the joy of being friends with men & women from Kurdistan, Syria, Armenia, Turkey, & Lebanon all within one beautifully diverse country.
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We are now knee deep in Jordan. From the guest house I’m currently in you can see the shimmering Dead Sea & the lights of Jericho. A lot of change has taken place this month. It has been two weeks of adjusting to new roles, new teams, & learning what the rest of the Race is going to look like. It’s pretty scary, but really exciting & I cannot wait to update you all very soon! Until then, we are gearing up for Christmas, spending some sweet quality time with each other, & soaking up our last couple of weeks in the Middle East. This season of the Race has gone by so extremely fast & I cannot believe the New Year is almost here! Thank you all so much for praying & reading & supporting me through this incredible journey. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas & if you happen to run into my family give them a big hug for me!
