Final Update

After a busy day, I finally have time to sit down at the computer to write something. It has been fairly quiet last night and today, probably due to the ships in the port, taking evacuees. Having said that, we just had four really big explosions, again in the southern suburbs, that shook the house. It was really good to talk to Mum and Dad today. I appreciated the fact that they were able to support my decision to stay for now. I know some people will think I am mad, and some of my friends have been pressured from family to leave, but I feel that my heart is here, with the people, and that I have responsibilities and duties that I cannot just walk away from. Currently there are just under half of our boys on site at the orphanage, as well as around 7 families who have fled the noise and smoke of Beirut, choosing instead to sleep on the floor in the day care centre, or with relatives who are on staff there. I can't just leave them. Also, from all our leadership team and church council, we have the two wardens, one of whom is due to leave any day, one council member and myself. Alot of our church family have been evacuated but we are still a small number who will be meeting together, and accountable for each other. I don't feel that we are in any immediate physical danger and my one concern with the kids, that we would run out of food and water, has been diminished by the fact that we have been given alot of food from people who have left, enough to last for quite a while. I told John that we are on the Israeli diet!!! To be honest, I am rediscovering the joys of entertaining, with all the fresh food that needs to be used relatively quickly, it has been lovely to have people around and to be able to feed them and spend time together. We just enjoyed a lovely roast dinner with 7 other friends which was a treat. I havn't enjoyed cooking so much for a long time. Well, I think that is it for now. We love you all very much. God Bless, Lindy