From March 16-27, the Pioneer Youth Missions Team served the campuses of Middle East University and the Adventist School Bouchrieh in Beirut, Lebanon. This was the 23rd year that Pioneer has sponsored the Friendship Team to Lebanon. Team members led worship, preached, prayed, and made friends with students on the two campuses. Additionally, they ministered to children at the ALC Syrian refugee center in nearby Beirut.
Most days began at 6:30 AM as the team presents 3 or 4 meetings each day for elementary, secondary, college and community groups.Evening and morning meetings included special prayer times and prayer journaling. The team also spent time with the over 700 Muslim students at the Adventist School Mouseitbeh and visited a local mosque to learn more about ministry in a Muslim context. Though Lebanon is experiencing a severe financial crises, the country allows religious freedom for Christians and Muslims.
There are many challenges for missions in this cross-cultural context but there were so many answers to prayer. We were able to give four Andrews Study Bibles to theology majors from Iran, Iraq, and Egypt. These Bibles are precious treasurers for these pastors in training. For example, Jackie, one of the team members, became friends with a couple of high-school age girls and invited them to the Friday evening meeting. They came, bringing their mother who had graduated from Middle East University over 20 years ago and had not been back since. She was so thankful to be on campus and rejoiced in worshipping with the church family again. We continue to pray for her spiritual journey with Jesus. Glenn Russell, team leader, states that this mission trip would have been impossible without the prayer and financial support of the Pioneer congregation.
