The Philemon Project GROW Centers in Beirut, Lebanon are expanding with the “Grow2” buildout of a new center. By God’s grace, the buildout is progressing very well. Their contractor has a great team in place, and they are working diligently to get everything ready for a hopeful summer 2024 opening. Robert Hamd, Executive Director of the Philemon Project, shares a video tour of the new site which he visited in January. You can view the tour by clicking here.
Read MoreThe Philemon Project GROW Center provides Christian early childhood development programs for underserved and at-risk children in Beirut. Rev. Dr. Robert Hamd, the GROW Center’s founder, recently shared this update:
The ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon has affected the whole population. Those living at an acceptable level previously are now finding it extremely difficult to cover the costs of daily living and the essentials of health and education.
Read MoreOur visit to the Philemon Project GROW Center, which provides Christian early childhood development programs for underserved and at-risk children in Beirut, was a reminder of the redemptive ministry to which Christ calls us when we pour ourselves out to serve “the least of these.” With 80 children ages 1-4 under their care, many of them children of domestic workers from Ethiopia and Sudan, they also focus on parent education and embrace the welfare of the entire family.
Read MoreA team from The Outreach Foundation (Jack Baca, Julie Burgess, Mark Mueller, Nuhad Tomeh, Marilyn Borst) traveled to Lebanon in late May, our first post-pandemic trip. We traveled to encourage our partners there who have been through so much over the past 19 months: a collapse of their government and the economy; the pandemic and its necessary lockdowns; the cataclysmic explosion in the port of Beirut on August 4th which left over 200 dead, 6,500 injured and 300,000 homeless. One of the partners we visited is an early childhood development center that serves children of domestic workers. Julie Burgess shares her experience here….
During our visit, we spent time with the children of the Grow Early Childhood Development Center, a ministry of The Philemon Project. After being entranced by the welcoming committee of 3-year olds riding their bikes, we spent time with three women who are the beating hearts of this place: Nairy who manages, Mireille who directs, and Debby who oversees. This is a unique preschool serving the children of domestic workers, most of who come from other countries like Ethiopia, who work long hours and cannot afford quality childcare.
Read MoreBy God’s grace, the GROW Center (part of the Philemon Project, a legal Christian Lebanese NGO) has weathered the storms of revolution, economic crisis, disaster, and the COVID-19 pandemic. We are still able to provide children with a God-centered experience by giving them a safe, warm, and welcoming climate in which to explore, grow, thrive, and develop.
We wanted to introduce two of our key staff members and share some of their thoughts with you. They have led the project through Lebanon’s many challenges over these past months.
Mireille, GROW manager: “This year was so challenging for us as Lebanese citizens. But despite all the bad circumstances, we are grateful for God’s blessings. When the blast at the Beirut port happened, all the GROW students who live close to the port were safe. God protected them and protected the staff as well.
Read MoreOn behalf of the entire Philemon Project team – thank you! Thank you for your partnership and support. And a special thank you to all who helped us with the August 4th explosion's aftermath. Without your faithful support, we could not carry out our ministry to the least of these in Lebanon.
The Explosion
On August 4th, 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at warehouse 12 at the port in Beirut exploded, causing at least 204 deaths, 6,500 injuries, and an estimated 15 billion dollars in property damage. The explosion also left an estimated 300,000 people homeless. Experts consider this to be one of the most powerful non-nuclear explosions in history. The Philemon Project's GROW Center is 1.4 miles away from the blast site and suffered significant damage. Windows and doors were blown out, walls cracked, AC damaged, electrical, and even plumbing lines were affected. Glass and debris ruined many children's toys and furnishings.
Read MoreShe is desperate, alone, and vulnerable. A single mother, a refugee, a migrant domestic worker – far away from her home and family, searching for a safe place to leave her child while she looks for work. She has fled her homeland, from the brutality of war, economic uncertainty, ecological disaster. Now, struggling to live in Lebanon as a refugee, she faces limited options. The GROW Center seeks to meet the needs of Syrian refugee migrant workers, and underserved Lebanese communities. We serve 75-80 children, providing early childhood development and adult mentoring for over 150 parents a month. While the present GROW Center is thriving, sadly, there are months we reach capacity and cannot accept new children. Recently when a single mother from Syria learned that we couldn’t receive her child, she burst into tears, falling to her knees, pleading, “please help me...I have no place to put her...”
Some weeks later, we were able to make room for her child, but they both suffered while waiting for a space at the Center. Our work is making a gospel missional impact on families. Many come from Muslim backgrounds, and many hear the gospel through our work. Because of this mother and her daughter, and many others like them, we are firmly committed to replicating our work to reach more families with the love of Christ.
Read MoreDear friends and supporters,
Leading in 2019!What has God called you to in 2019? As I look back, I can see how God has called and equipped me to lead the Philemon Project into its next phase of growth.
Our team of 17 sees their work missionally, and we are committed to providing excellent Christian early childhood development (ECD) and adult mentoring (AM) ministry throughout Lebanon. In the last 12 months, our primary focus has been on strategic growth and organization development. It was an honor to witness God’s hand at work through the project, and we look forward to what’s in store for us. Thank you for standing with us. It’s your faithful partnership that allows us to provide the best Christian early childhood development and adult mentoring possible.
Read MoreThe Philemon Project's GROW Center was founded to provide the best practices of quality early childhood programs for the underserved. We provide equity in child outcomes within those we serve by focusing and maintaining the highest quality possible.
GROW: Problems our Project Seeks to Address
Neuroscientists, economists and early childhood development experts all suggest that investing in a child's early years is the most powerful way to affect change in society. Reaching children in their earliest years is emerging as a top focus around the world.
Dear friends and supporters of the Philemon Preschool,
The Philemon Project Preschool focuses on the (mostly Muslim) children of low-income immigrant workers and Syrians, providing quality care and an avenue along which Christ may be made known to the children and their parents. The Philemon Preschool is under the auspices of the National Evangelical Church, a sister-denomination to The Outreach Foundation’s principal partner in Lebanon, the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon.
Read More
