Growing Together

Passionate about preparing learners in mind, body and spirit, for a bright future, the Beirut Baptist School (BBS) had a lot to be grateful for during the month of April. As expressed by its Academic principal Mrs. Alice Wazir: “April was a month of both national and global exchange that was especially unique for our school”. Starting off with BBS’s participation and contribution to the first National Educational Conference (NEC) organized by the Association of Evangelical Schools in Lebanon (AESL), under the theme of “Unlocking Our Potential” and ending with a valuable Chinese-Lebanese educational partnership.

BBS, a member school of AESL, along with 22 other member and participating schools took the time to stop, reflect and strategize for the future of Evangelical education in Lebanon. Prioritizing continuing education, the focus of NEC2019 was not simply education, but the influence of its educators. Rev. Joseph Kassab, The new President of the Supreme Council of the Evangelical Community in Syria and Lebanon, framed it this way: “Our Evangelical Schools shape attitudes alongside the excellence of teaching.” In a country stricken with layers of conflict, families look to academic institutions to pass along a renewed sense of hope for their children. While BBS is committed to its excellence in teaching, its light shines because of the foundational Hope of the resurrection that we recently celebrated, motivating its community of educators to give their best. The opportunity that Evangelical education has on a post-war culture is to be a catalyst of change creating healthier environments for every child regardless of gender, religion, and ethnicity.

Following NEC2019, the school quickly prepared itself to host a group of educators from Hong Kong, China for a unique and enriching cultural week for both students and teachers. Consequently, BBS signed a year-long commitment with 3 of the 13 group members to serve full-time at BBS in the upcoming academic year. Striving to promote cultural exchange and diversity on the educational mission field, our prayer is that this unique collaboration will be a model for future partnerships to strengthen cultural and educational exchanges in an era where globalization introduces exciting new movements and trajectories for growth.

To you our readers, we are grateful to call you friends of BBS because you play a key role in unifying servant hearts and contributing to a strong Christian education in Lebanon.