Women's League Bulletin February 2006
| Did You Know? | |
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"Kindness
is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." |
"That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest." |
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-- Mark Twain |
--David Thoreau |
| From the President
Reaching out to people and giving of yourself makes life meaningful. Philosopher Deepak Chopra says that when you serve others, you gain more in return. If you give good things, good things will flow your way. You might be thinking “Wrong! I gave some money to a friend and I am still waiting to get it back.” However, when you give and share, you won’t always get paid in kind or on time. But over the long run, you’ll attract admiration, respect, and generosity from others in general. Real caring is unconditional. You don’t stop and think about whether someone deserves it. And when you really care someone, you don’t worry about what is in it for you. You don’t love your child so they will take care of you in turn, or your grandchildren so they will kiss you when you see them. You do it because it gives you pleasure and satisfaction just to do so. Rita Merhej is a real role model as a caring person. She cares that people who have been given less than most of us have a place to learn and to live a dignified life. Let us all remember, that caring for others makes the world a better place for all of us. --Marianne Heath
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| Calendar 2006 | ||||
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General meetings are held at AUB's West Hall in the Bathish Auditorium. Doors open at 3:30 pm, meeting starts at 4:00. Coffee and tea is served after the meeting. Monday, February 6 Monday, March 6 Monday, April 3 Monday, May 8 Monday, October 2 Monday, November 6 Monday, December 4 February Trip: Wed. Feb 8 Annual Garden Party at Marquand House: Mon. June 5 Women’s League Christmas Lunch: Wed. Dec. 6 Movie Club: Discussions are held every last Friday of the month in room 301, West Hall, AUB at 4:30pm. The next movie to be discussed will announced at the discussion session and at the WL general meeting. Only 20 participants. Please sign up for the discussion at jkobeissy@ic.edu.lb or call 01-374875. |
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The Sidon Trip, January 18, 2006 Our January trip went mainly to Sidon. Our first stop was at Meshref where we visited “I’dad”- Friends of the disabled Association. I’dad undertakes the training of persons with special needs, enabling them to play a productive role in their community and earn their own living. We were received by Mrs. Rita Merhej, the director of the center, who took us around the various sections- classrooms, workshops, and an auditorium. Then Mrs. Merhej invited everybody to coffee and fine tasty cookies prepared by the disabled students. Reaching Sidon we first visited MP Mrs. Bahia Hariri at her home in Majdelyoun. MP Hariri explained how she was working hard to reach understanding & acceptance between the different factions in Sidon. We were served coffee & took some pictures with her Excellency. After Majdelyoun we visited several historical places. First we went to Jumblatt Palace,a 104 years old building that took 400 workers 7 years to complete, according to our host, lady Hayat Haddad Jumblatt who served us delicious homemade juice. Then we went to Khan Al Efranj which was originally as an inn hosting traders coming from neighboring countries with their horses. Later it became a school—St. Joseph de L’Apparition-- owned by the French Embassy. The place is now hired by the Hariri Foundation for cultural activities. We walked through the Soukh to visit the Shrine of Saints Peter & Paul, a church around 2000 years old inside the Sidon Market Place. It is the place where the two saints met on their way to preach their faith. The church has an underground tunnel that connects it to the sea used for escape during wars. In the same area we passed by “Zawaya” The place where Soufis meet to have praying sessions. Continuing through the Sidon Souk, we came to the Awdeh Museum which was originally a soap factory turned nowadays into a museum of soap of different shapes & scents. Another beautiful place we saw was the Debaneh Palace, originally built by a Moroccan named Hammoud & was later sold to the Debaneh family. The place is full of decorations & the Moroccan style of the building becomes clear the moment one enters the place. Finally we had our lunch at Al Arabi restaurant, bought some sweets from a nearby shop and came back to Beirut. It was really quite an interesting and enjoyable trip. --Souad Khoury
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Trip participants on the Women's League Sidon tour. |
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Last modified: February 22, 2006.
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February’s
speaker, Rita Merhej, truly exemplifies the concept of caring. When you
care for others there are no strings attached, no expectations of return
for your gifts or your services. You don’t give and serve with a free and
open heart. For those of you who visited the I’dad center and who hear
Rita speaking at the February general meeting, it will be obvious, that
she is person who cares.