Days three and four of our working visit to Lebanon

Beiroet 19 and 20 november 2025

This morning at 8.30 am we were picked up by Georges Farah and our driver for this week Youssef,

to go to Batroun. First we pick up Bart at the SSCC Bauchrieh school, where he has been working on the computer network there until the last hours since last Sunday evening. Now packed and packed to go to the school in Batroun, and then stay there until Friday evening.
Bart already had a lot of contact with Mariette, the IT specialist of this school, via Teams, so it was good to finally meet each other in person and see this school with our own eyes.

  
In addition to Mariette, we were welcomed by the director Sister Aline and by the head of technical service, Gaby. It was very pleasant to get to know each other and to discuss the wishes and possibilities with each other. Then we were extensively shown around all the corridors and rooms and we were introduced to several other sisters, staff members and other employees of this school.

During our veteran trips we have visited Batroun more often. A beautiful and very old town on the coast, with the famous Phoenician wall that runs along the tide line here and for a large part still breaks the waves. The school is located on the coast and we have often walked past it without realizing that this was a school building.


The oldest part of the building, where the offices are now, dates from 1888.

 
Na the tour we were treated to a nice lunch. And then we will get to work on measuring all the existing spaces, so that Bart and Siem can make a working drawing of them later. It's great to be able to really roll up your sleeves again.


At half past three we said goodbye because at 4 o'clock we had an appointment with Chukri in our hotel in Beirut. He is trying to improve the social life of four different neighboring villages in the south of Lebanon. These villages have been hit hard by the war and the inhabitants there have a great need for various materials to be self-sufficient, including tools to work the land, but also supplies for aid agencies, including firefighting equipment.
Prior to this trip we had already started collecting it and Bert had already brought a complete firefighter suit, to see if this is what they can use. And they certainly can. With gratitude and joy for everything we have been able to do so far thanks to our donors and will continue to do, we said goodbye in the hope of meeting each other in the far south of Lebanon in the near future.

                           

It was another very special day.

Day 4 of our working visit

The last breakfast at the Commodore hotel in Beirut to check in tonight at the Aleph hotel in Byblos. At half past 9 we get into Youssef's comfortable van.

The plan was to go to the orphanage in Zahle today, but unfortunately Georges received the message late last night that we have to postpone the visit, for unknown reasons. Very unfortunate. Maybe it will work on Saturday. We'll see...
So we quickly made new plans for today, which again led to a very special day.

First of all, we were allowed to take a look at the fire station in the port of Beirut. There we were very warmly welcomed by the Fire Brigade Commander, General Maher Al Ajouz.

          
During the large explosion in the harbor on August 4, 2020, 9 men and 1 woman of this corps died. Their photos are depicted over the entire façade of this barracks and on the site there is a monument in honor of these and all other colleagues who died during their extinguishing work. The names are listed on two plaques behind the monument.


We were very impressed by the stories. For Charles it was extra special to be here. Through his own experiences as a firefighter during the fireworks disaster in Enschede, he knows better than anyone what it means to lose colleagues at work.
The commander was also genuinely interested in everything we do as the VVL foundation. Thanks to various donations, especially from France, they have their equipment reasonably in order as far as safety is concerned. Good to see and hear.

After this visit, we were able to schedule an appointment with the Dutch military attaché in Beirut, Vincent van Ophem, around noon. It was again a welcome reunion and a very pleasant conversation.

Then on our route to Byblos a short toilet stop at the Bauchrieh school, where we fell in love with the preparations, because of the preparation for independence day, next Saturday. The video speak for themselves.
It is nice to see so much happiness in the difficult time that these children have to deal with.

The sun sets early here, today around 4.30 pm, the time when we could check in in Byblos at our second hotel for this week. And the evening was also full of surprises. On the advice of Marie-Jo we had a drink at her favorite restaurant Fenica and after we had almost finished our beer, the waiter unexpectedly brought us an 11 o'clock. Ordered for us remotely by.... Marie-Jo

A nice surprise and we toast together with the waiter in Lebanon.

In terms of temperature, it feels like a warm sultry summer evening here. We end the evening with a refreshing walk along the harbor and a delicious dinner at Malena. We feel privileged.