Fresh Perspective

 Many people are asking how the recent explosion in Lebanon will impact us returning and our lives there and our work?  These are questions that we don't have answers to.  However, there is one thing we do know, that one year settled looks and feels so much different than two months settled. The spaghetti like roads, with mazes in between apartment buildings are now familiar pathways. The flowers planted and the ivy growing give root to the word, home. The church bells that ring just a block from our home remind us that we are in a new land, with the call to prayers from the mosque in the distant background. The friends we have become more special as we begin to form a foundation of shared memories and experiences together.  I am grateful that my heart is finally at peace with over a year of great transition. My graduate class work is pushing me to know what is going on in the Lebanese nursing world. I had the recent opportunity to meet with the head of the Order o...

 The mask hid my crying face. Well mostly. The tears still tattle-tailed my feelings, but for once I was grateful for the mask to hide the rest of my face. Let me tell you the story behind those tears. It was supposed to be an ordinary errand. I was looking for some specific needle work items for a refugee project idea. I had a friend (Lucia) who knew the Beirut downtown area better than I.  So, she had agreed to accompany me to this sewing supply store tucked in-between tall mazes of buildings and hard to find parking spaces. When I awoke the morning of our planned errand day, Lucia had sent me a text message. There she asked if a foreign housemaid could go with us and I could drop her off at her country’s consulate. I agreed with the stipulation that I had to be home by a certain time because I was expecting guests. Picking up Lucia and her new housemaid friend, my heart was warmed to be introduced to Happiness (her real name). Happiness’s complicated story unraveled as ...

 Currently, I am cruising at 30,000 feet in the air somewhere between Colorado and Nashville. Much has happened since I last wrote. We were in the valley of indecision for months regarding if we should/could fly to the USA for an annual leave. More importantly, for our oldest son’s wedding. After much prayer and contemplation, we finally felt at peace to fly and purchased our tickets 1 ½ weeks prescheduled flight. We chose to spend our first week in America in Walla Walla, Washington so that we could intentionally connect with our sons and their girls. We know that the wedding, though special, will not be time for quality conversations and peering into their lives. So, with 105+ degree weather we managed to create some fantastic memories just hanging out, in rivers, under windmills, on cliffs, in homes and eating fun food. We met the pets. We saw and heard about things that were important to our oldest sons and we simply were present, something that we do not take lightly living n...

As the world groans with the effects of Coronavirus, we watch in almost surreal disbelief at what is happening.  For the last four weeks we have felt the tightening grip of restrictions, as Lebanon moved from schools closing and social distancing, to mandated stay at home rules.  Now it is with army enforcement that we can only go out for groceries or medical needs.  They are also sealing any unnecessary businesses open with red wax, with rumor never to be opened again.  Now an enforced curfew is in place from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.  We shake our heads wondering how a nation that was already in desperate financial state, will survive this economic blow? Week one through three wasn’t too different for us as we still homeschooled and on-line schooled, social distanced, and had the freedom to come and go on our local MEU campus.  However, week four equals Darron working from home, and us not leaving our apartment.  So far, we are coping by doing school.  ...

 I never dreamed of living in the Middle East.  I admired people who did it, but always thought, “That will never be me”.  Yet, here we are, almost ten months deep into living in Lebanon, “the gateway to the Middle East”. Recently, I have started searching for one new thing each day that I appreciate about living in Lebanon.  I find that this exercise in other areas of my life has been surprisingly fruitful.  That is another story.  This story unfolds with one small aspect of my gratitude to living in Lebanon.  It is the ability to see more clearly Biblical stories and illustrations that I have heard all my life.  Allow me to share just a few precious images in my mind. The other day we escaped the lockdown for a few hours and strolled along the promenade that runs along the sea.  Surprisingly many people were walking, running, sunbathing or fishing.  Some were talking on benches, but I think it is safe to say, that all of us were bein...

  Recently a small group of us met, outside in social distance space, to talk about the warnings of an upcoming food shortage crisis here in Lebanon. The prices in the grocery stores have tripled since our arrival eight months ago. Foremost, on our minds is the refugees who already struggle to put food on the table. Also, on our minds are the Lebanese, whom 56% of them are living below the poverty lin e. Clean water must be purchased to drink here, so dozens of empty 10L bottles are often piled around. In our meeting, we decided that these jugs would be prepared, cut, filled with dirt and a vegetable plant, and given to the refugees to grow on their little balconies (if they have them). While this will not fill tummies full, it is a start.  If the project takes off, and we continue to have help, then we will expand to even more people. Many of the families at Middle East University are helping prepare these containers.  Ideally, we would have our refugee friends pr...

 Less than 2 miles from my home they live.  Three refugee ladies. They have begun to share stories with me of a lovely home and land in the country.  Of carefree days and university opportunities and study abroad experiences.  A thriving business. One remembers their place of worship being sealed shut many years ago.  Despite such opposition she remained faithful to what she believed and taught her children, who are now scattered around the globe.  Then things became so bad that they had to flee.  We press into a friendship that is meaningful, with joy and tears (and kisses, pre CV-19). Pre-Corona Virus I was enjoying my time visiting in their tiny one room garage shop home.  Two mattresses are on either side of the room with the walking space of one other twin mattress that lies on the floor during the night.  A tiny makeshift bathroom sits in one corner.  A high small window of sorts is on another wall.  A makeshift kitchen is o...