Rev. Dr. Uwe Gräbe Visits JLSS

The newly appointed Middle East Liaison Officer of EMS who is also the new EVS Managing Director, Rev. Dr. Uwe Gräbe, visited Lebanon from 27 February until 6 March 2012. His first few days were in Beirut meeting EMS partners in the Near East School of Theology (NEST), the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the German Speaking Community Church in Beirut, and the National Evangelical Church in Beirut (NECB). The plan was for him to travel to Schneller School right after the Sunday service in NECB and lunch with Schneller Board members on March 4, but the Dahr El-Beidar road was closed because of the snowstorm. Lunch was cancelled because of two opposing demonstrations, one against and another pro the Syrian regime, that were taking place in the down-town area of Beirut right where NECB is located. He was only able to travel to JLSS on Monday morning after the Dahr El-Beidar road was open to traffic.
He visited the school and met with the director to discuss current challenges, recent developments, and future plans. He later walked around the campus and visited the boarding homes that were restructured and renovated last summer. He also met EMS co-worker Hans Lehner, EMS volunteers Thomas and Johannes, and JLSS educators (Boarding Department staff) and students.
He returned to Beirut early Tuesday morning where he took the flight back home.
We congratulate Rev. Dr. Uwe Gräbe on his new appointment. He is a friend of our school and a very well informed person about the Middle East. He has a long study and work experience in our region. He is a dedicated and life-time honorary member of EVS and a very staunch supporter of the Schneller mission and ministry in both Theodore Schneller School in Jordan and Johann Ludwig Schneller School in Lebanon. We look forward to working with him and wish him the best as he assumes his responsibilities next June.
We also thank him for his wonderful visit.