Together for the Family - November 2021 Update
Lebanon
After the team headed home following our journey into Syria in late October, two of us remained to visit partners like Together for the Family, which serves Syrian refugee families in the Beqaa Valley with hope and with healing. TFF Director, Izdihar Kassis Issac, welcomed Lois Andrews (First Presbyterian San Diego) and me with joy and showed us around to experience glimpses of some of the ministries which she and her staff offer: a dental clinic, basic education classes for little ones who have not had much schooling because of the war in Syria, skills training in things like carpentry and sewing. The women in the sewing class were hard at work making holiday items for a Christmas bazaar to be held soon in Beirut. We also visited a class that is training women to work in hair and nail salons. Both Lois and I had a “consultation” with the sweet instructor about which shade she would recommend for each of us should we decide to transform our white hair to something a bit more youthful!
Every day a hot meal is prepared for 75 hungry people (the children, staff, and local neighbors). Nothing is done without giving honor to our Lord who is finding a new home in hearts that have been opened through these acts of love done in His name. As their lives are touched with these acts of compassion, “they fall in love with Christ,” says Izdihar, as she and her staff are quite expressive about the God whom they serve.
One of the exciting developments in this ministry is that a piece of land has been purchased which will allow for a permanent “home” for Together for the Family. (Until now, they have been renting land for their “container rooms.”) Their expansive new property – adjacent to farmland just on the outskirts of Zahle, where the ministry has been based – will allow for more training programs such as in agriculture. As we were leaving, Izdihar told me a bit about the site’s guard whom she had hired to watch over the buildings that are under construction. “Abu Ali” (father of Ali) was from Raqaa, far away in eastern Syria, which had been taken over by ISIS during the war and had been the scene of devasting combat. Having made the long and difficult journey to Lebanon with his family, he was eager to find education for his eight children. Izdihar told him that she would make sure that she took care of those children if he worked loyally for this ministry. She now has the most dedicated of employees in Abu Ali – and under Izdihar’s loving care, I suspect that it is only a matter of time before he, too, falls in love with Christ!
Joyfully,
Marilyn Borst
Associate Director for Partnership Development
Read more about Together for the Family HERE.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts to support the mission and ministry of Together for the Family. All gifts of any size are welcomed to help TFF support programs which offer Syrian refugees hope and healing, as well as to provide food and other basic material goods while nurturing a new identity for them as children of a loving God – whom they have not known before – who cares for them out of his abundant grace.You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.