Apologies for the lack of posts over the past few days, but the team has been on the go. We went into the mountains on Tuesday morning for several days of visits with churches, schools and other Synod initiatives to better understand their important work.

After a long climb up Mount Lebanon, we descended into the valley town of Kab Elias to visit the former Synod elementary school that is being renovated to receive Syrian displaced persons. It's hoped that the work will be completed in a week, creating a home for 6 or more families.

Leaving the school turned refuge, we proceeded to another valley town, Al Marj, to visit a refugee camp. The camp was established in December 2012 for Palestinian refugees and currently hosts 45 families in tents neatly aligned in rows.

They were previously in another Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus. But opposition forces moved in among them at the camp and began to launch an offensive against the Syrian army while using the camp as their hiding place among the 400,000 refugees. Some of the refugees fled to Lebanon in order to protect themselves.

They are being provided with tents, sanitary facilities, and food. As we pulled up in our bus, a welcoming committee of a dozen smiling and waving children greeted us. The dozen soon swelled to 30 or more. Given their enthusiasm, it was hard to comprehend the violence, heartache and danger they and their families have experienced.

In our discussions, the team agrees that it's difficult for us to comprehend what our friends in the Syrian Presbyterian churches, other Syrian Christians, and others caught up in the war are experiencing. We are moved by the faith and faithfulness of our Presbyterian brothers and sisters and the hope they find in Him. Please pray for everyone caught up in the violence of the war.

Tuesday and Wednesday in the Lebanon Mountains