Beautiful game; beautiful people; beautiful place

Emdad’s Lebanon Diary

Day 2 We visited Arsal today. It is a Red conflict zone, but we had received special permission to enter the region and camps to meet the residents.

After an information briefing from Badih, we travelled along the Syrian border and passed the “Qurnat as Sawdā” – the Martyrs Summit, which stands 3,093 meters above sea level and overlooks the Cedars of God forest in Bsharri.

We had 200 food packs to deliver and on the schedule was a visit to three camps:
•four Shabab, with 24 families;
•Al Abrar, with 60 families (58 widows and their orphans);
•Ghars Rahma (Planting mercy), with 116 families.

We engaged in distributing food packs – and with the majority of the packs being extremely heavy for women and children to carry, it required the volunteers to accompany each recipient and deliver the goods to their makeshift homes.

I noted that although each shack was threadbare, they were each in immaculate condition. Every family takes great pride in ensuring that the home is a happy and pleasant place for them. It’s gives them stability and peace of mind.

I’m very pleased to report that I was given the freedom to do a little football training and finished off with a fun kick-about within the camp. The much loved bag of air never ever fails to bring people together, and things like age, background and the language barrier are no issues at all. It is a great leveller.

Football really is the beautiful game and, as is our tradition, all training sessions must end with a bit of fun. In fact my footwork in the recorded footage was so technically brilliant that we at Stepney FC have decided our legend Mufi can have the next game off…

This is really the epitome of street football, and in an age where our beloved game is controlled by petro dollars it’s so refreshing when we can just enjoy a carefree game in the open for free.

This dream scenario took place today at the Abu Sharif Syrian Refugee Camp in Arsal, Beqaa Valley, Beirut, Lebanon. Yes, it did happen.

There were children who were shy, peeping out from their homes and from behind objects, but as soon as we started our passing drill they all came roaring out. The not so gentle and energetic run around at the end was well executed, especially with the terrain being so uneven and rugged, and the kids were immaculately behaved.

I hope some of them will be inspired by today and go on from these camps to become doctors, teachers, nurses or footballers – if they are provided the opportunity of a branch to grasp.

We met the widows and the orphans who live in a separate compound. They receive support and an education for themselves and their children. To them we delivered your donations via small cash gifts for Eid.

It’s been a very long day again, and as the sun set and we broke our fast with a hearty meal I couldn’t help but hark back to my experience earlier on. The people we have engaged with may never be able to eat anything like this again. That’s a haunting thought.

I have one more day – and you can continue to make a huge difference!

•To donate to Emdad’s contribution to the Human Relief Foundation Lebanon Ramadan appeal, go to:
https://www.muslimgiving.org/number7

emdad
#theadoptedscouser
#theanfieldtourist
#thewanderinglondoner

•Read the first day of Emdad’s Lebanon blog:
Taking toys to Al-Jarahiyya

•Read more about it:
Human Relief Foundation kickstart Ghana deployment
Human Relief Foundation complete China Trek