A Guest Blogger

Hello Hello, This week it is another Caravanista writing the blog. 'Since your English is not that bad I wanted to ask you, if you were willing to write this week‘s blog' , was our blogwriter‘s question one week ago. I felt extremely honored by this 'compliment' and couldn‘t refuse the offer!. Due to my poor English I unfortunately can‘t go that deep into detail of last week, but I will try my best.

Thursday, November 17th, 'Girls Night Out'!  We all had enough of our boys, so we decided to spend a night out, girls only. After having once experienced how relaxing it is to go on a shopping trip by ourselves and not being disturbed by boys who just wanted to go home, we were looking forward to our trip to the ABC Mall Achrafieh. We decided to have dinner at 'Rodster' (arabic for Roadster ;) ) first. We squeezed together at one of the tables constructed for four. Due to our empty refrigerator we were able to fit. We ordered some Cocktails (of course the juicy ones! obligatory when it‘s only girls out!), and a whole lot of burgers. Burgers in a bun, by the way. One of us begged Suzanne to ask the waiter if their Mighty Chicken - which was shown in the Burger‘s category - came in a bun. The waiter‘s look was priceless and ostentatiously said 'typical blonde'.

 After a while, Suzanne and Jo came up with the great idea to lure Letti with a money offer. The deal was as follows: she would have to press her face against the glass wall to make a weird face towards the people sitting directly next to the glass. Surprisingly they were not deterred by this action and even started communicating with us via messages displayed on their phones. We used the opportunity to show off our arabic skills and answered on a tissue pressed against the glass. When it came to the question what we‘re doing in Lebanon we told them that we are students in USJ and at the same time volunteers in Deir El Salib. First they didn‘t believe us, second they made fun of us and eventually they apruptly stopped the conversation. Sadly this was not the first time we had to experience such a reaction on our service. Some Lebanese are far from the idea to help the poorest and are convinced that they must help themselves. After the delicious dinner we went to see 'How does she do it' with Sarah Jessica Parker. We had honestly planned on watching 'The Rum Diary' with Johnny Depp, but unfortunately the ABC Cinema‘s internet page was not updated. Which meant that we ended up watching this Chick Flick- or better still , getting some good rest. The night ended in Tequila‘s second floor, on cozy bean bags, half asleep. 

On Monday, November 21, we ran a marathon with our boys in Deir el Salib. We helped some of the boys to run, the winners were Ghattas- Superstar (he‘s still currently wearing the medal proudly around his neck) and Finger Charbel. At the prize giving, Tony also ran on stage to receive a prize and took it from Soeur Manal. The consequence was that Soeur Manal ignored Tony until he gave the price back to the righteous winner. As soon as the boy got back to St. Dominique though, Soeur Manal gave Tony his own special price. We were impressed by Soeur Manal‘s pedagogical skill. She is caring and raising the boys like a loving mother. So do the other caretakers; they speak about the boys in such an amazingly loving way, as if they were their own children. Every day in the services my respect for the work and sacrifices the caretakers are doing increases and grows. When I then hear people telling me that I am crazy because I am working in Deir el Salib I get extremely angry but then especially sad, because they don‘t (want to) know how fulfilling the work with our boys and girls is. They are stuck up in their lives and don‘t have a sense of how fulfilling it is to give love and receive even more back...

'Other men said they have seen angels; but I have seen thee and thou art enough.'- G. Moore

For Visual Effect :-)

And we are missing one

We are very excited to welcome Matthieu to the team in a little over a forth night . Unfortunately on the 24^th November , we had to say goodbye to Letti . For medical reasons, Letti has returned to Ireland . As a team, of course we are devastated but we hold Letti in our prayers and we hope she returns to us for a few weeks in January 2012.

Picture below - At the airport at 5.30 am to say goodbye , It would not be a farewell without a few of our favourite songs ( No embarrassment for Letti :-) ) . Donkey also remains in our care to ensure Letti returns !!

Preparation Camp 6th -20th August 2011

Just three months late :-) 




It has been pointed out that I had not shared enough details of preparation camp, so I thought better late than never and as it is a quiet week I suppose blog writing is the best way to spend my time. It is impossible to cover everything in one blog so I have just added a broad view.  During this weeks blog I have had two wonderful guests who seemingly, without knowing, have volunteered themselves for many more blog writing sessions.
We were very fortunate to arrive in Paderborn on the 6th August to begin a two week preparation camp. 
On Sunday 7th August, we attended mass in the local church, albeit it was in German which proved interesting especially during the sermon for the non German speakers. The community atmosphere that surrounds the church was obvious for all to see and it was really lovely to spend some time after church within the local community. And let’s be honest, a church that serves schnapps after mass is always going to be a winner. That afternoon, Valerie spoke with us briefly about the history and structure of the Lebanese project and indeed we saw some videos from previous carvanistas which gave us an insight into life in Lebanon. It was great to finally put an image to some of the many questions that we all had and indeed it gave us a brief insight into the life we would lead for 10 months.Later that afternoon, Phillip explained the history of the Order Of Malta; It was very interesting to finally understand the History of the Order of Malta.  That evening the Irish and Dutch girls were introduced to a really fun game called Murder in Phillermo, it was a very funny game with some protests of how unfair it was that a certain member of the team got knocked out as the detective, the doctor, a villager and eventually as a murderer.
 The location of the preparation camp is just so beautiful and the relaxing and tranquil grounds have proven a great opportunity for the team to explore and chat. Their where many really interesting lectures including Johannes Zang who spoke about the Middle East. His book became a source of comfort for us in learning about the Middle East. There was some really interesting observations about the significance of the Cedar in the bible. Also his little tips about the dos and don’ts in Lebanon spared our blushes quite a few times.  
Severin’s two day workshops allowed the team to relax and unite as a group. Their where many opportunities for us all to embarrass ourselves which was great to break down some of the awkwardness at the start. Also some of Sevs techniques are still very much with us in Lebanon as we meet and watch new people and new cultures. 
On the 12th August we received a lecture from Dr Möllenbeck. I was impressed that he had done his research before hand on each of us. It was an interesting lecture about the Holy sacraments. However the subject of the lecture seemed to shift quite rapidly to Islam both in the middle east and its presence within western Europe; allowing for some fascinating insights. 
The lecture, which followed, was also thoroughly enjoyable, about the Holy Bible with Father Christian Schmitt. He gave us some excellent examples that where very easy and clear for us to understand. 
On the 15th August, we went with our lecturer who taught us about the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ to the Catholic Church in Büren and celebrated Mass. We got to know about the  the Holy Sacraments, the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ in the church. In the afternoon we enjoyed he first day of sun shine since we arrived and decided to have the lecture in the garden. We had a very interesting discussion about sins and forgiveness, which was introduced by a reading from one of the Holy Gospels and a conversation between John the Baptist and Jesus. We where then given the opportunity to go to confession.
 The 16th saw us learning about serving of the sick - Vicky then spoke in depth with us about the service to our friends, the handicapped. A fascinating insight was shared by Vicky and indeed we got to practice feeding each other – (let’s just say that spoons with water and caravanistas ends up with wet clothes.) She  tried to get us to understand how the boys and girls feel everyday compared to us by setting up some games to explore our senses in different situations, and what it would be like if one of our senses was underdeveloped or non-existant. This gave us the smallest of insights into the life of a boy with a sensory issue. 
The 17th was First Aid and life in DES – First aid with Max was a great laugh, although taken very seriously it also created much amusement for the team. There are some very interesting pictures of cardio pulmonary resuscitation floating around on my laptop that I most upload. Leonie then gave us an insight into life in Deir El Salib. It was extremely important for us to have a general view on what to expect. Which we where extremely grateful for. 
 On the 18th  we were given the opportunity to visit a workplace and home for the handicapped– It was fascinating to see such a n efficient programme which offered handicapped people an opportunity to live and work independently from home and live there lives to the full. It was a real eye opening experience for the whole team and of course it was incredibly important as we leave for Lebanon, that we get the view of enabling the disabled. 
Our last lecture with Prof. Schellenberg was about the for insightful discussions to arise. 
On the 20th  of august we cleaned and then left Germany –In honesty it was a jam packed two weeks and we were pretty tired by the end but so excited to be heading for Chabrouh. After getting through the first hurdle of overweight baggage  the team then had to make our way from Germany to Bucharest where we would meet with the German team that where on route to Chabrouh. Surprisingly this past pretty much without incident.


**The most interesting, strange and weird fact we learnt from the whole of preparation camp is that you cannot flush toilet paper down the toilet otherwise you end up with big problems – it is this kind of information that Google will not tell you!

What is happening with Caravan ?

Service was fabulous this week , we where in Deir Quammar on our usually Monday service , first indoor service there for the Caravan team and what a great venue it is . The Irish produced a puppet show with the help of our translator Kathy , we need a lot more practice !!! Tuesday and Wednesday saw us in Deir El Salib , our arrival on Wednesday was met with Soeur Manal announcing that their was a concert in the lecture room adjacent to the dining area upstairs ( for those familiar with DES ) , so off the 10 Caravanistas trotted on the bus with a number of the boys from Saint Dominique on a bus trip around the grounds and then to the concert . For now the bands name has slipped my mind but when I find out I will be sure to update , it was a lovely concert and a lovely opportunity for the boys to sing , dance , run around with caretakers , caravanistas and of course the wonderful and incredible Soeur Manal . Many of the residents of DES where attending the concert making the atmosphere truly amazing . Thursday saw us in Antellias for what proved to be a very musical service , a really lovely afternoon was had by 60 or 70 of the boys . The sister responsible upstairs is a truly remarkable woman , she is quite elderly but really gives her all to the boys and indeed the Caravan team . We are truly indebted to her for her support of us.  Service on Friday in Deir El Salib proved that the Summer has not completely left Lebanon yet . A scorcher of a day saw many of us in the gardens with our boys having a ball . Watching the birds , sitting on the benches , having a little drink , a cuddle , a song or two or indeed for some just wondering through a new environment exploring . 

University this week was a two day affair due to a National holiday on Monday and Tuesday . It is fascinating to learn about the history of Lebanon right from the Stone Age until recent years. We look forward to university this week where we head on a trip to the National Museum in Beirut. Will update further when we become more regular with university .

We had out first family visit this week which saw the arrival of Johannas' cousin Anna for a week , it was really lovely to have Anna staying with us for the week . On Friday 11^th , we had Mr Honsig and Franseco ( Johanna father and brother ) come to Lebanon . It was lovely to have them around for the weekend . Lucas girlfriend Amelie arrives this weekend to spend two weeks with the team . Family visits are lovely and of course when the family bring treats for the whole team , well then that makes them great ! 

On the 12^th  November , we were honoured to be invited to the official inauguration ceremony of the knight and dame of the Order Of Malta . It was also a great honour to attend the ceremony of the first confessed knight of Lebanon and indeed for the whole of the Middle East . We met many Lebanese knights , dames and youths who we had not met until now . Our thanks to Patrick Jabre for co-ordinating jobs for the team on the day and to the knights and dames that invited the team . 'The Caravan team'  once again offer our congratulations to Madame Coralie Zaccar , Madame Lina Frangie Wagner , Madame Dominque Sehnaoui , Madame India Abdini , Mademoiselle Tania Arwachan , Madame Marie - Madeline El Khazen , Mademoiselle Lelia El Khazen on becoming dames and to Monsieur Pierre Chidiac , Monsieur Walid Mouzannar , Monsieur Chadi Haddad and Monsieur Rainier Nouhra on becoming knights. Furthermore , we offer our congratulations to Monsieur Jean - Louis Mainguy on his commitment as a professed knight of the Order . 

As with every other week , the team partake in a variety of activities , this week was the first of our fundraisers  for the Christmas Appeal for our friends the boys and girls . We had expected a large turnout but unfortunately many people where not able to attend due to university and other events . We are truly grateful to those who attended and to those throughout Europe who are donating to the boys and girls . Each donation is so welcome for the appeal . We’re just finding the work / fun balance at the moment . Loads of events planned in the coming days and weeks so await updates. Also another guest blogger next week so prepare for and I quote ‘an amazing blog’ . We have also taken time to write about preparation camp which I hope to put on the blog this evening . Lots of changes for prep camp including venue etc .

Furthermore , we ask everyone who reads this to join us in supporting the boys and girls and to remember them in your prayers each day . 

Lebanese Internet is desperately slow this evening , we promise more pictures soon !

Another week has flown by .

Apologies in advance for any spelling errors , a little thing called spell check is currently not working so it has left me a little alone this week :-) 

What a quiet week it has been for Caravan . Arabic classes have ended and with a week of mornings free prior to the start of university we have indulged in ‘sleep ins’ . The responsible of the project Valerie is still with us and we have been thoroughly enjoying having her in Naccache . The weekend was a quite affair seeing most of the team go to Louis for a Chabrouh and Lebanese youth volunteers dinner , followed by a trip to BO 18 for some of the team . Again like with most weekends , the team undertake many different activities . On Sunday some of the team departed for the mountains to go hiking – the weather made this impossible so they stayed indoors admiring the nature and views from the window . On Tuesday , we arrived home to a lovely feast cooked by Valerie , Michel , Yann , Eilo and Alain (ok in fairness it was predominantly cooked by the wonderful Michel )  – we really appreciate this gestures and it means a lot to the team . The downstairs apartment is also complete although their are a few little jobs to be completed before we can finally move in , we look forward to uploading pictures soon of the refurbishments .

Service this week -

Monday we went to Deir El Quammar , we suspect this will be our last Monday in the beautiful garden before the weather becomes too cold . A lovely afternoon was had translating activities from English to Arabic to enable the girls to partake . The bus trips to the garden proved to be one of the biggest sources of joy for the girls and we are always so grateful to Fossey our driver for dutifully driving up and down until each of the girls is in the park . Tuesday and Wednesday and Fridays are our Deir El Salib days , the downstairs garden albeit not as beautiful as the upstairs one proves to be joyful – the swings , the canopy and the seating area allow us to have picnics and to indulge in a spot of leaf collecting without been disturbed . It is great to take some of the little boys on the swings and hear the squeals of delight from them , indeed many of the older boys also squeal with delight at the prospect of swings and picnics . It always amazes us just how much fun and joy little things that we take for granted can bring to the lives of our boys . Service in Antelias is a challenge to the Caravanistas considering the size of the group and of course now most activities are indoor given the weather conditions . Some plans are underway by the caravan team to prepare a wide variety of fun and exciting activities and possible a Christmas nativity concert .

The weather is indeed getting chillier and we are really feeling it in the evenings now . We hope to have another day or two at the beach before the weather makes this difficult . Lettie has completed portrait 1 of 11 and I hope Caroline will shortly have the pictures of this portrait for the blog – until then all is well , we are all really enjoying our time in service and indeed in Naccache. 

On a final note , we have been told that Matthieu will arrive to Lebanon on the 4^th December . We are all so excited to finally have him as part of the team .