The keyword on any mission is …Flexibility!  We are experiencing a lot of that on this trip to the Middle East.  With uprisings first happening in Iraq and now in Beirut, every week the plans have changed.  Two weeks ago, we weren’t sure we would be able to go to Beirut because the protesters had closed all the roads.  That changed last week so all systems were set to bring Syrian leaders into Beirut to be KIDStory trained and then return to their communities.  That changed on Monday. It was discovered that the paperwork could not be completed on time. There was one person who wanted to attend the workshop from Horizons International, a ministry based in Beirut.  As things began to evolve, Horizons agreed to be a host for anyone local who wanted to come. That was Tuesday …

The workshop happened on Friday and 40 people attended!  In various capacities, these people are ministering to over 1500 needy children.  1/3 of the children are refugees from Syria, Ethiopia, and Iraq. 1/3 of the children live in single-parent homes where the moms work as housekeepers and the remaining 1/3 are children who live in very poor situations.  The families have very little food, with many children being physically abused and no system for anyone to receive help. 

Faith, hope and love are very much action verbs for these faithful servants who came today.  Their faith is made stronger each day believing that sharing the love of Christ in tangible ways will make a difference in these children’s lives.  By sharing the Gospel, hope is instilled in these children through loving, tender words and actions. I believe everyone left with a renewed hope that they will create an environment where children are experiencing the love of Jesus through the telling of His Story and the working of His Spirit.  That’s what KIDStory is all about.