On Tuesday, June 20, we visited with Camille Melki of the Mediterranean Bible College. Throughout the day, Camille told us of the fantastic ministry of the MBC.

Our goal was to raise $14,000 to purchase 350 sears for the Johnson Chapel. You helped us meet that goal by mid-day and exceeded it by 147% by day's end. Your generosity allowed us to also purchase the sound system for Johnson Chapel.

On behalf of Mediteranean Bible College, thanks to all 106.9 the Light WMIT listeners who partnered with us today to make a difference around the world through this ministry.


-----------------------------------------

A Brief History of the Mediterranean Bible College

The Mediterranean Bible College began in 1984, during the 1975-1990 Lebanon civil war, the vision of Rev Fouad Melki. Fouad and others wanted a College to continue in the tradition of the former Lebanon Bible Institute, where he and his wife had trained. The old LBI was started by MECO (BSM/LEM) missionaries in the 1930s. Captain and Mrs Harries, an English couple who had emigrated to New Zealand, followed their daughter, Mollie Harries (BSM/LEM) out to Lebanon to start the LBI in their retirement! They were around 65 when they arrived and stayed for approx ten years without a furlough.

The LBI closed in 1972 and, when MBC opened 12 years later, strong links with MECO were maintained. MECO (BSM/LEM) workers also taught at LBI, Les de Smidt amongst them.

More than 150 MBC alumni now serve in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Switzerland, the Bahamas, and the United States. MBC is not a building; MBC is people... people in strategic places.

The Principal, John Johnson, has been six years in the Middle East, in Egypt and Lebanon, and is assisted by Camille Melki, nephew of the Founder, and himself a graduate of LESB. MBC, a member school of the European Evangelical Accrediting Association and the Middle East Association for Theological Education, has a four year degree program for its students, strongly emphasising practical aspects of ministry.

In the past, MBC remained a small college, with students mainly from Arabic-speaking countries. Since the teaching medium of the College is English, there is now a vision for expanding the student intake to other Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Italy.

Within the 10/40 window live 97% of the world's unreached people. Beirut, with the MBC campus eight miles north, is at the heart of this 10/40 window. Opportunities abound for ministry and missionary outreach for trained church planters, disciple makers, and missionaries. It is hoped by 2005 to have trained 100 more workers.

The central task of the college is to raise up servant-leadership for the Church in the Mediterranean region and MECO will be vitally involved in this work.