Today, we paid a visit to the Angels of Peace School in Nabaa, established in 2013 by the Syriac Catholic Patriarchate and run by the Rev. Youssef Yaacoub.
Nearly 500 children, Iraqi Christians, receive math, science, Arabic and English instruction, and thanks to CNEWA, computer instruction in a new lab. This is part of our outreach to the at least 1,500 Syriac Catholic families living in and around Nabaa, on the outskirts of Beirut, near the Armenian Quarter.
We had an exceptional visit, and were greeted very warmly in all the classrooms we visited. Some even sang songs for us!
A few things stood out: the joy and positivity of the students, who were all smiles despite the suffering their families have had to endure for their safety. They were so joyful to be able to learn. Grades and classrooms were of mixed ages — the highest having ages 16-20 — and many students had clearly been practicing their English. Father Youssef’s personal story, of course, was inspiring and deeply moving — especially considering that he had been ordained just a few months before being held under house arrest by ISIS.
Lynn Constantin, from CNEWA’s Beirut office, says that with CNEWA’s help, the school hired a psychologist to help the children. Initially, she told me, Father Youssef wasn’t sure of the value of this, but after seeing the results he’s certain of its importance. It’s this kind of guidance, I think, that makes CNEWA’s work so valuable in this troubled corner of the world.
We also met the staff of the Beirut office this morning, many of whom have been working there over 20 years. Their rich experience in a variety of fields, and their diverse backgrounds (including civil engineering, finance, and journalism) ensures that the right questions are being asked and good advice is being given.
