After nearly two years my first visit to partners abroad. Wonderful to reconnect, to sit face to face, to listen to our sisters and brothers, to discuss about these challenging times and to enjoy simple Libanese food!
My last visit at the Near East School of Theology (NEST) and the National Evangelical Church (NEC) in Beirut was in Summer 2019. Since that time many things happened which are still challenging the country: the 17 October 2019 revolution, the explosion in the Harbour of Beirut in August 2020 and the following economical and political crisis and on top of all the Corona Pandemic.
Since September 5 pastors are on a 3 month sabbatical at NEST. My church is running that program. To visit them, to discuss about the further development of the program and to show solidarity with the Christian Community and our partner church NEC is the reason for the visit. As the Vize President of the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS) I will celebrate a service on Sunday with NEC and Habib Badr on the occasion of the 50th jubilee of EMS.
Today I had the chance to walk around “Ras” Beirut – the top | head – of Beirut. Enjoy some of the pictures I took.