I spent the first three weeks of July visiting our team in Lebanon, my country of origin. During my visit, I was also able to serve on a medical mission as well as see a patient in our first clinic in Lebanon, which we opened a few months ago.
I left Lebanon for the United States in 1990 at age 14. That year marked the end of a vicious civil war that killed about 250,000. My childhood, while beautiful because we had a loving and supportive family and church, was marred by fear. Bombs regularly fell on civilian areas. Gun fire. Snipers. Car bombs. Assassinations. Lack of food, water, and electricity. These were the sights and sounds of my childhood. Living in the shadow of war was a way of life. In fact, the moment I gave my life to the Lord at age 10 was during a horrifying night when we did not know if we would survive.
Fast forward 34 years, on this most recent trip with my family to Lebanon in July 2024, war is looming again; not a civil war, rather a possible war between Israel and Hezbollah. While many canceled their travel to Lebanon, my wife and I decided to proceed, but I had to prepare our six-year-old son, Danny.
I said, “Danny, there could be war in Lebanon when we are there.” Danny’s first trip to Lebanon was just last year, and he had a great time. He stared at me, and asked, “Babi, what is war?”
That question hit me hard. When I was six years old and growing up in Lebanon, I already knew all about war, it was our way of life. Now, my son did not even know what the word meant.
I wish all children in the world did not know the meaning of war. Instead, from Ukraine to Gaza to Yemen, children live in the shadow of war and death. And it’s not just present times. Throughout history, there have been wars. Why? Because we live in a sinful world.
May the Lord have mercy on our world, and may we as Christian leaders work toward peace because the Prince of Peace dwells in us.
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