By Sarah Jennings
Behind every young person who helping others, there is someone who helped them first. It could have been a mother who taught them about sacrifice, a teacher who pointed out their strengths, or a principal who gave them a chance.
On July 6th, Beirut Baptist School (BBS) celebrated the senior graduation of 64 students! It was a joyous night, not just for the students, but the whole community. To reach this commencement stage, these students faced above average challenges.
Perhaps this is why the graduation ceremony had a different presence this year. Students lost so much these last couple years in Lebanon – friends who emigrated, the financial stability of their family, or family members lost to COVID-19. Meanwhile, many parents took on more work to pay for tuition. Many of their teachers made difficult decisions to stay for these students, despite some of the hardest years of teaching, while inflation devalued their salaries. At every step though, the community kept praying, and our international partners gave generously, so that the lights could stay on.