Lebanon/Syria #4 - Let Us Go to the House of the Lord
The meat of this day comes after we cross the border (praise the Lord!), but before we get to the meat, let’s just take a moment to consider border crossings.
As we set out from Beirut north toward Tripoli and beyond to the border with Syria, we had a natural border to our left: the Mediterranean Sea. Land and sea side by side is something we do not have in Nebraska. The sea is vast, and the boats that cross it look small, and yet many have made the journey from these places to get to new lands of promise. It is dangerous, and lives are lost every day. We weren’t crossing that border.
Instead, we crossed the manmade border, the artificial line in the sand that says, “This side is mine and not yours. My rules apply here, and you must follow them to come in...if we let you.” As our bags were taken out of the backs of the vans, partially emptied, our dirty clothes and other sundries looked through, we had but a taste of the indignities suffered by those who make this journey from one side to the other. Some of the harshness is due to Covid-19 precautions; some is due to the inhumanity of crises and war.
BUT...we crossed over and headed to Amar al Hosn, our first (and very special) stop on this pilgrimage through Syria: the new conference and retreat center that rises from a hilltop, under construction by the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, and 100% supported by The Outreach Foundation.
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.” Psalm 84:1-2
We were led on a tour of the place by Abdel Messiah, an elder from the Homs church and the project manager of the construction, and others who are seeing this to completion. One day soon, barring finances and construction delays due to the availability of materials, this place will sleep 100 for spiritual retreats and conferences, feed them, and allow for gatherings. It has come so far since our last visit in 2019! Our dear friend Elias Jabbour, now pastoring the congregation in Yazdieh, met us there with part of his choir. Our purpose: to hold the first-ever worship service in the still unenclosed chapel. How appropriate to celebrate this service with the words of the Psalmist in chapter 84: “Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise.”
Jack led us in a devotional around Mark 1:35, reminding us that Jesus himself went to the desert place to pray. This new conference center will be that place for many. It will be a place of solitary prayer, of communal prayer, and a place to be present with our God, and with each other. Presence is indeed the best gift we can give to one another, and it is why we cross the border. We give presence to our Syrian brothers and sisters, they give presence to us, and we do it in the presence of the Lord, in this place now consecrated by our hymns of joy, our hearing the word of God, and our prayers.
Before we left, we chalked our messages of blessings upon its uncompleted walls, knowing the next time we come, it will be blessed by the young people who inhabit it.
We then joined Salam Hanna, pastor of the church in Latakia, seminary graduate Kherallah Attallah (who assists Salam) and his wife Nermeen and 3-month old daughter Zaina, Elder Georgette Deirtany of the Banias church, the elders of Yazdieh church, Elias’ wife Petra and daughter Evangeline, and seminary graduate Hassan Diertany, who assists in Yazdieh. Over the typical and delicious spread of small plates, mixed grill, fruit, and dark Arabic coffee, we shared life and loss through the ongoing season of pandemic. From two lands separated by many miles and lots of water, we have these things in common: social distancing, masks, a variety of vaccines, Zoom meetings, and of course, the loss of life of dear family and friends. The loss on this side of the ocean is compounded by war, sanctions, and economic hardships that are not a part of the western experience.
“Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.”
After a very brief respite in our hotel in Safita, we returned for the crowning of the day. We would have been in this place in the morning for Sunday worship with the Yazdieh congregation (the whiplash of no-visa-yes-visa), but being so happy to have us join them, they held a special evening worship service. Mike Kuhn preached (in Arabic!) and raptly held the attention of those filling the pews. Following the service, we were entertained by the Scout group of the church, with pounding drums and sounding horns, and were even made honorary members of the group, each presented with the kerchief and slide to prove it. Coffee and sweets led us back to the sanctuary where we heard the ministry reports of this very active church: women’s, Sunday Schools for the young and the teens, youth (college) ministry, choir, and of course the Scouts. Honest answers to earnest questions give us pause to think of how hard it is to have hope in this broken place. Many youth think of futures elsewhere. But for now, on this night, there was hope, there was joy, there was music, there was presence.
“For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.”
On the day we crossed borders, we went from worship to worship. It was a long day, and this is a long blog. But, it was a good day.
“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.”
by Julie Burgess, West Hills Church, Omaha, Nebraska