Dear Brothers and Sisters Pilgrims of Ibillin, 

I feel compelled to update you about the situation in MEEI. But before speaking about the school, I want to assure you that the best thing I ever did in my life was to create the Pilgrims of Ibillin as an association to tell the story of the school, and to raise funds to help maintain the school in its journey. I thank you for being faithful and persevering.

Still our hope is very strong to see you as our distinguished guests and give you the opportunity to interact with our students.

The school reopened two weeks ago; it was a celebration with smiles on the faces of all the students. They were happy to end the confinement in their families, with the sirens going on, and explosives shaking our security and hoping for the end of the war. The students are now all back at school.

Indeed, it was a very special joy to see the school populated back again. Although all the Christian schools are complaining about their financial situation. No school I know has any program of development except our school.

The twelfth graders look to be very busy preparing for their graduation, on June 19th. We will have a great ceremony with the presence of the parents. We have a problem with the Auditorium. It is too small to welcome the 220 graduates and around 1,000 members of their families: their parents and often with their children. We are contemplating having the ceremony organized, in the largest conference hall in the village.

We are planning a major reorganization of the parking lot, and relocating food canteens to have them closer to the school and under the eyes of the teachers.

With regards to the elementary school, the principal of the school, Johaina, has become very well-known all over Galilee. The registration for new pupils is always a big problem for us. It is difficult to decide whom to accept because if we need 50 new pupils we register 200 or more children. Indeed, that means if we wanted every year, we could open a new school. The demands are becoming increasingly big. They continue coming from very different villages in the Galilee region. And mostly Muslim children. Indeed, it is so difficult for us, for parents who come with the hope that their child would be registered. In fact, we register tentatively for everybody but the acceptance test shows us different levels of children, we wish to accept all of them, but no place, we are limited with our capacity.

Our staff and employees are very much affiliated to the school. They are not treated equally with the teachers in the governmental schools. Our church schools give the Maximum to the children, yet they are not paid with justice. The cuts that continued since the beginning of this war against Iran are continuing and it is a very serious deprivation.

I mentioned all these situations in order to tell you how much we appreciate your assistance and your friendship. We wish all the schools to have their own Pilgrims of Ibillin.

For myself, I am getting constantly older or rather constantly more mature for eternal life. I continue with the grace of God to be present every day in my office at 7:30 am, and continue the administration work with my diligent secretary. Many of you know her name, I mean Nasreen. In fact, she is more than a secretary, the more I mature and get older the more she gets more efficient and more patient, she is one among those for whom I thank the Lord for putting them on my way.

More of my time is given to prayer and you are often mentioned. I pray God to reward you hundred-fold, for every good word you mention about the school and every prayer you make for us.

Yours Sincerely,

Abuna Elias Chacour
Archbishop Emeritus of Galilee