Great day in the Beka

Today we all took a break from our regular duties and headed up the valley to Baalbek. There we visited a site of ancient Roman ruins. We each took many pictures so be sure to ask us about them when you see us at home. Amazing structures. It would appear to be an issue through this country. Whenever a new building is constructed the chance exists of hitting ancient ruins under the foundation. So sometimes the costs are huge because you cannot disturb the ruins.

From the ruins we went to see the BOL school that serves about 650 children. We meet the head mistress and have a wonderful meal that they had prepared for us. She shares her story with us in how she came to Christ through a personal healing miracle and then further how God led her to the dream of starting a school for the under privileged children.

She then took us to a couple of the homes in the area whose children attend the school. One family consisted of a man with two wives and 16 children. We were welcomed with very warm hospitality from this Muslim family. They invite us into their home. Three rooms back to back, each about 12 feet square. The place is very clean. The outside is covered with tin, the walls and the roof. There is a little grass outside and a very clean entry area to the home. The smells are not bad! I cannot detect any foul scent, which means that their sewer and way of handling garbage must be well managed.

Inside the ceiling was low but you could still stand up. Cement floor with rugs nicely placed and covering about half of the floor area, with cushions around the parameter. We are in a room, must be their living room. The walls are unpainted but clean. The wood is the same as our really thin smooth MDF with wood slates tying it all together in about 2ft by 2ft sections. Ceiling is the same. The home is very clean. There is a hole in one side up near the top where the wood stove goes during the winter.

We sit down with him, his two wives and about 5-6 children. One young boy, about 10-11 is wearing a Montreal Canadians shirt and shorts outfit. The kids are shy but full of smiles. As we talk the man begins to prepare tea for us. Two scoops of sugar in each little glass cup, add some tea and then stir. He gets up with his tray of glasses and serves each of us himself. It’s his way of honouring us into his home.

As we talk and find out about his family, his work, we come to know a bit of his heart. He is a gracious man (Everything is being translated). We talked about many things. He and his family work in the local tobacco field. They work about 5 months out of the year and what they get must help them live through the whole year. They collect the leaves and dry them and get them ready for market. He takes us outside and shows us the whole process. He has a shed that is full of dried leaves, waiting for pickup at the end of the drying season. He was asked what his challenges are and he could think of none. They are very happy in their home. No need for anything. Content. And we believed him.

We went home that day with a little more knowledge, a little more culture.