Nabil Costa
What a joy it has been to be able to look back and witness God’s work, protection, and guidance in every step taken throughout the past 25 years. From day one, when we first started, till this very day, we have seen and first-handedly felt God’s presence in our lives and in the lives of the people we served and partnered with.
We gathered to celebrate His faithfulness before ours. We gathered to celebrate the power of His gospel to change lives rather than our persuasive efforts. We gathered to celebrate His love and compassion for the brokenhearted rather than our acts of service. It is with humility but also with great responsibility that we say all this.
From Seeds to Harvest
We first started our ministry as a small organization in Lebanon, not knowing where we were heading but trusting in an all-knowing, faithful, sovereign God that had and still has a plan to redeem all things unto Himself.
Throughout all the hardships and upheavals our country went and is still going through, and as tiring and frustrating as the situation is in Lebanon: political unrest, economic downfall, increased poverty, widespread social tensions, and refugee crisis, we choose to look at ourselves not as victims, nor as passive citizens, but as hopeful realists looking at this broken world and knowing that we have the most precious gift to give: hope. We have El Shaddai, God Almighty, who is the light that shines through an extremely dark reality.
Why Lebanon?
Christians in the Middle East are meant to be catalysts and have a responsibility to build bridges, reconcile communities, and spread the perfume of Christ. We see Lebanon as a hub and a gateway to the Middle East where we are called to be on a mission with God digging deeper routes in this region through intentional collaboration and by leveraging different networks to unify our goal and vision and serve Him to the best of our abilities.
What is Our Desire?
Our mission is not to market Christianity, instead, it is to show Christ and help people see Him through us. Today, we have the shared responsibility to be missionaries, not as a job, but as a state of mind. We are stewards of the ministries, talents and gifts the Lord gave us. We need to invest them in the right way for the next generation by building networks across the region and coming together can connect, reflect and think about how to impact the Kingdom.
We Want to Say Thank You
At LSESD, we only started with a few people and now we are proudly surrounded by a team of leaders that ensure the ministry’s sustainability and continuity. The apostle Paul says, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” We are grateful for God, because He raised new leaders, and made our ministry grow and flourish into Thimar.
We are also immensely thankful for our forefathers, local church leaders, as well as our partners who stood by us all these years. With the wealth of partnerships and connections formed, we believe that hand in hand, we can impact the Middle East and achieve great things for Him.
As our region grapples with immense pain today, we pray, seeking the Lord’s mercy upon our land. Join us in prayer and service, as we are broken-hearted but not defeated. May His guiding light lead us through these challenging times, reminding us that even in our moments of despair, there is a greater plan at work.
If you have missed our 25th Anniversary Conference, you can watch our recap videos here.