It is not
uncommon to be taught by the children; quite often it is the younger showing
the older what belief and faith truly looks like. This has certainly been
the case this past month. One of the boys I supervise faced a very challenging
situation at the start of the new school year. He is born and been raised in
Lebanon but is not Lebanese, which proved problematic as we (DEA
administration) attempted to enroll him in secondary school. After taking into
account a number of considerations, including finances, location, and academic
performance, it was decided to place him in a nearby public school.
Unfortunately that was not easy. As is well known, Lebanon has experienced
unprecedented influx of foreigners in the past few years. This increase
has added to the already high rates of foreign residents in this little
nation. The impact of these developments is massive; institutions and
services across the country are overwhelmed, including the public
schools. This year the government took a necessary step of restricting non-Lebanese
from enrolling in public schools due to its inability to meet the high demand
for classroom places. That left our boy stuck. I visited the public
school no less than five times hoping to make an enrollment, and each time I
was told, "it's not possible now, check back in a few days and we'll see
if the government has changed the order." Each rejection brought the
realization that the door may never open and we needed make other arrangements
or else risk real possibility of losing a year of school.
The best solution seemed to be enrolling in a private school though this presented some complications as we struggled to find a school that met our criteria. Naturally geography limited our options as did the need for an English curriculum rather than French. Unfortunately our budget cannot afford what most private schools charge and our boy did not meet the academic standards that many required. The school search runaround was difficult for all, especially our boy as he watched doors close and prospects fade. Being in limbo is hard for anyone, especially a young man who simply wants to continue his education and reach for his dreams.
I was personally quite pessimistic. This nation is experiencing some big challenges and the little lives at DEA are quite insignificant in light of it all the big problems. I understand that tough times call for tough measures; our boy isn't a refugee but he is a foreigner and that has significant ramifications in Lebanon at the present. We care a lot for this boys regardless of their status, but I didn't expect others to. I mistook being pessimistic with being realistic, and it took a young man to show me otherwise.
Throughout the whole experience our boy never lost hope. Yes, his spirits did drop at times, but then they would rise and he'd continue to talk about plans, ideas and aspirations for the year ahead in the yet-to-be-determined school. He kept saying that thing we teach our boys over and over again, "God cares about me and I know He'll work everything out somehow." I didn't doubt this, but I did doubt it would work out the way we wished. In the end doubt is doubt.
Fortunately we have a director who isn't like me and who simply reminded our young man, "we don't give up on our boys." The school search eventually led to a small and reputable evangelical school in Beirut. Our case was shared and received favorably, but the principal was concerned about past academic performance and needed to do some inquiry about our young man to see if indeed the grades do not tell the whole story. If our young man was to be accepted then he would be accepted on the account of grace. A week went by until we heard the good news: Accepted! Within minutes we were on our way down to the school (already two weeks in session) to register and buy uniforms and books. Within moments the situation changed dramatically. Our boy now has a fine school that provides an ideal learning environment at a generously discounted tuition rate.
He never said it to me, but our young man would have been justified in telling me "I told you so." It turns out that we at DEA aren't the only ones who care about little lives who need extra support in this country. There are others too who put compassion above expectations and extend mercy rather than judgment. We are thankful for this particular school and the many others who support us as we support our children. In this I’m reminded that we have a God who cares with a fatherly heart of mercy, compassion and love. There is a big story being written, and it is a story of good. His promises are not simply encouraging and sentimental, they are Truth. Sometimes we need unlikely teachers to remind us of this hope. Yes, our boys need to learn many, many things from this ministry, but so do I.
The best solution seemed to be enrolling in a private school though this presented some complications as we struggled to find a school that met our criteria. Naturally geography limited our options as did the need for an English curriculum rather than French. Unfortunately our budget cannot afford what most private schools charge and our boy did not meet the academic standards that many required. The school search runaround was difficult for all, especially our boy as he watched doors close and prospects fade. Being in limbo is hard for anyone, especially a young man who simply wants to continue his education and reach for his dreams.
I was personally quite pessimistic. This nation is experiencing some big challenges and the little lives at DEA are quite insignificant in light of it all the big problems. I understand that tough times call for tough measures; our boy isn't a refugee but he is a foreigner and that has significant ramifications in Lebanon at the present. We care a lot for this boys regardless of their status, but I didn't expect others to. I mistook being pessimistic with being realistic, and it took a young man to show me otherwise.
Throughout the whole experience our boy never lost hope. Yes, his spirits did drop at times, but then they would rise and he'd continue to talk about plans, ideas and aspirations for the year ahead in the yet-to-be-determined school. He kept saying that thing we teach our boys over and over again, "God cares about me and I know He'll work everything out somehow." I didn't doubt this, but I did doubt it would work out the way we wished. In the end doubt is doubt.
Fortunately we have a director who isn't like me and who simply reminded our young man, "we don't give up on our boys." The school search eventually led to a small and reputable evangelical school in Beirut. Our case was shared and received favorably, but the principal was concerned about past academic performance and needed to do some inquiry about our young man to see if indeed the grades do not tell the whole story. If our young man was to be accepted then he would be accepted on the account of grace. A week went by until we heard the good news: Accepted! Within minutes we were on our way down to the school (already two weeks in session) to register and buy uniforms and books. Within moments the situation changed dramatically. Our boy now has a fine school that provides an ideal learning environment at a generously discounted tuition rate.
He never said it to me, but our young man would have been justified in telling me "I told you so." It turns out that we at DEA aren't the only ones who care about little lives who need extra support in this country. There are others too who put compassion above expectations and extend mercy rather than judgment. We are thankful for this particular school and the many others who support us as we support our children. In this I’m reminded that we have a God who cares with a fatherly heart of mercy, compassion and love. There is a big story being written, and it is a story of good. His promises are not simply encouraging and sentimental, they are Truth. Sometimes we need unlikely teachers to remind us of this hope. Yes, our boys need to learn many, many things from this ministry, but so do I.
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