Thank you for coming alongside Mel in prayer during her 10 days in Lebanon. When she returned to the U.S. in mid February she and I talked over Skype about how she saw God at work during her trip around the themes her partnership network prayed for of Departure, Love, Children, Creativity, Family, Partnership, Seasons, Voice, Rest, and Shalom (Peace).

 A couple things Mel shared particularly stood out to me.

While many believe Lebanon to be a place of peace on the surface in that they have more freedoms compared to the rest of the Middle East, there is conflict all around its borders and people are tense about their future. Mel said she that she was reminded of the verse in Revelations 21:5. Lebanese Christians say Lebanon is the gateway to the Middle East. God is starting new things that have not been previously tried there, like expanding focus on kids with special needs and relief for Syrians in neighborhoods. Mel was encouraged to see college age students and young adults in ministry.

Mel desires to be a friend to the "least of these" and while truly meeting "the least" in this world in an orphanage where children were literally "stuck and had no hope" (as the culture does not believe in adoption), she saw daisies growing all around Lebanon. She said this reminded her of this line in "You've Got Mail" and felt God promising her, "I will give you friends".

Praises:

1) Mel cannot wait to return to Lebanon. She is feeling peace about her final departure date to Lebanon and realizes that this process of building relationships needs to take time.

2) There are an abundance of opportunities for Mel to use her skills and training in education. She can see how God has prepared her for this as more than half of the ministries the Lebanese Baptists are doing are with children. Lebanon is currently hosting over 500,000 Syrian children. Without proper education and hope, these children may become the future of ISIS.

3) Since leaving for Lebanon, Mel's monthly support has risen by 3.8% and over $6,000 has been given in one-time gifts! Mel is very encouraged by individual and churches' eagerness to partner with her.

4) Mel has had plenty of time to rest and reflect amidst this whirlwind of a trip spanning from the Middle East to the Eastern United States, Las Vegas, NV and then Oakland, CA. She felt there was a good pace in Beirut and the extreme weather in the Eastern part of the  US provided unexpected down time as a few planned engagements were cancelled.

Prayer Requests:

1) Mel will learn how to embrace and succeed in this current season of constant change.

2) Mel will continue to grow bolder for and closer to the Lord. Mel felt the Lebanese Baptists, were in many ways bolder than her as they had "cool object lessons and analogies about sin, praise songs, and stories". Mel felt encouraged and challenged by this.

3) Mel will be able to process through everything she saw and learned in Lebanon. That the Lord will give her the right words, wisdom, and discernment to know which stories and photos she should share at each place she visits.

4) God will provide more places and opportunities for Mel to share about God's plan for her. She has a few more engagements scheduled this spring and will be in cross cultural language training in Colorado for the month of April.

Thank you again for your encouragement to Mel, your prayers and financial gifts of support. As we continue to partner with Mel, let us thank God for the ways He has provided for and come alongside her and ask Him to continue to grow all of us for His kingdom through Mel's journey to the Middle East.

Blessings,

Jill Pang, Communications Advocate, Mel's Mission Partnership Team (MPT)

How can you and your Bible Study support Mel?  Contact her MPT (Care Team) by clicking here.