150th Anniversary Celebrations

The year 2010 was the year that brought the Protestant Christian work
that was started by Johann Ludwig Schneller in 1860 in Jerusalem to the
age of one hundred and fifty years. This was a very long period that
indicated that the Schneller ministry was the work of God rather than mere
human beings. It was the fruit of the faith of those who followed the example of
Johann Ludwig Schneller; from the Schneller family, and others from Germany, Switzerland,
and the Middle East; those who continued to obey the calling of our Loving Lord Jesus
Christ, to love and serve those who are desperately in need. This active
faith was certainly the work of God and it continues in Schneller schools to this
day.
When one looks back at 150 years, one certainly sees human failure,
mistakes, agonies, wars, and many disappointments; but the objective honest eye
cannot but also recognize the hand of God in the wonderful work that
provided homes to orphans, schools for the blind, education for girls,
hope and opportunities to all who were willing to receive them,
irrespective of race, color, nationality or religion (Christian,
Muslim or Jew).
Johann Ludwig Schneller School in Khirbet Kanafar
had,
as part of its 150th Jubilee year, a special celebration that started on
Wednesday 14 April 2010 and continued until Thursday the 15th. A
high-level delegation from our partners EVS (Evangelischer Verein für die Schneller-Schulen)
and EMS (Evangelisches Missionswerk in Südwestdeutschland)
in Germany arrived on Wednesday in the evening. The delegation included
Prof. Dr. Herta Däubler-Gmelin (a lawyer and an
honorary professor at the University of Berlin, member of the German
parliament from 1972 till 2009 and the German Minister of Justice from
1998 till 2002), Dr. Martin Schneller (the son of the founder of
Theodore Schneller School in Amman - Jordan and a former German
ambassador), Dr. Basil Rischmaui (former JLSS student and medical
doctor), Mrs. Kerstin Sommer (Vice-President of the youth organization
of Baden-Württemberg and the person responsible for youth work in the
Evangelical Church of Baden), Rev. Will Eberhard (Chairperson of the EMS
Mission Council since 2003 and in the Department for Mission and
Partnership of the Evangelical Church of Kurhesse and Waldeck), Mrs.
Margit
Rupp (Vice-President of the Executive Board of the Schneller Foundation
who studied law and has been working in the administration of the
Evangelical Church of Württemberg since 1993, and since 2001 is the
director of the administration), Rev. Klaus Schmid (former JLSS
educator, Chairperson of the EVS Board, and the President of the
Executive Board of the Schneller Foundation), and Rev. Andreas Maurer
(Executive Secretary of EVS and the Schneller Foundation and former
pastor of the German speaking Protestant Congregation in Beirut from
1995 till 1999). Accompanying the group was a reporter from ARD
Television, Ms. Gabriele Damasko.
The German guests were welcomed by Rev. Dr. Habib Badr, Rev. George D. Haddad,
members of the JLSS Board of Trustees, and teachers and members of staff
from JLSS.
The program for the evening was a traditional Lebanese
night. A former JLSS student who is now a famous Lebanese folk-singer,
Mr. Sami el-Ayyoubi, brought his band of musicians and they performed in
honor of our guests and the historic occasion. All sorts of traditional
Lebanese foods were prepared, baked, and served. Lebanese breads were
also prepared and baked in the traditional way and served. After
enjoying the food it was time for Lebanese folk-dancing (DABKEH) which
was performed to LOUD Lebanese music and singing. It eventually changed
to Lebanese-German DABKEH which was really nice.
The program on Thursday started at 10.30 AM in Hermann Schneller Hall
with a special performance by our students to commemorate the occasion.
It included music, singing, poetry, play-acting, and video presentations
prepared by students from both the academic and vocational departments.
Our students performed very well and received great encouragement from
our German guests and members of the JLSS Board of Trustees. Dr. Martin
Schneller then addressed our students with greetings and great words of
encouragement. He was followed by Dr. Basil Rischmaui who spoke about his
days in Schneller and his classmates who all later achieved great
success in their careers.
The afternoon program started with the thanksgiving service which was
held in St. Michael's Church at 4.00 PM. Dr. Ghazi Mcharbash, director
of Theodore Schneller School, who arrived from Amman also attended the
service. Most of the Members of Parliament and Ministers representing the
West Bikaa region were attending. The President of the Supreme Council
of Evangelical Churches in Syria and Lebanon, Rev. Dr. Salim Sahyouni
accompanied by many Evangelical pastors were attending. Bishop Mansour
Hobaikah, Bishop André Haddad, Bishop Speridon Khoury, Bishop Boulos
Safar, of the Maronite, Catholic, Orthodox, and Syriac churches attended
with a number of priests. Sheikh Abbas Diebeh of the Shiite community of
Machghara also attended. Most of the dignitaries of Khirbet Kanafar and the neighboring towns were also present. Mr. Andreas Fiedler was representing the
German Embassy in Lebanon. Dr. Michael Guder of GTZ, Mr.
Carlos Nafaa of the Department of Vocational Training in the ministry of
Education, and many
other honored guests and friends of JLSS also
attended along with former directors of JLSS, Dr. Riad Kassis and Mr.
John Itr.
The service included a music performance of Variations from
Concertino for Clarinet and Piano op.26 by Carl Maria von Weber. Our
Music teacher Mr. Joseph Sleilati played the clarinet accompanying Miss
Ghiwa Chakrina on the piano. Unfortunately, the speakers during the
service did not stick to the program that gave each only five minutes.
Some even gave their address in two languages so the program dragged for
almost two hours. Our guests were gracious and patient. We express our whole-hearted thanks
to them for enduring for two hours. We also
apologize for this unintended very long program.
After the service our honored guests with all the students, teachers,
trainers, house parents, and members of JLSS staff moved to the place of
the memorial statue kindly donated and sculpted by alumnus George Eid
Eid to commemorate the 150th anniversary. The memorial statue was
erected on a stone on which the old name, year of foundation, and bible
verses that were on the facade of the main building in Jerusalem were
etched. Dr. Martin Schneller unveiled
it after giving a very short address.

All then moved to Elisabeth von
der Decken Hall, our new vocational training center, which was opened by
Rev. Dr. Habib Badr. Rev. Andreas Maurer unveiled the memorial plaque
inside it. The project was financed by the legacy of the late Elisabeth
von der Decken, BibleLands, EMS, and the Schweizer Verein to whom we are
very grateful.
After visiting the new vocational training center all moved to
the main dining hall where a reception was held in honor of all our
guests.
The National Evangelical Church in Beirut held a special service and a
very nice music program in Beirut on Friday 16 April 2010 at 7.00 PM to
celebrate the 150th anniversary of Schneller schools. It was followed
with a reception in Charles Saad Hall.
The volcano ash crisis that was hampering air travel was a source of
inconvenience to our German guests. Some could only fly back to Rome
from which they rented a van and drove all the way to Germany. Others
had to wait three days to get places on flights back to Germany.
We thank all our honored guests for attending our 150th Anniversary
celebrations. We apologize to our German guests for the inconvenience
they went through in returning home.
We praise God for 150 years of wonderful Schneller ministry in the
Middle East, and we commit both our school to the wonderful gracious
care of our Loving God towards a glorious future secured by His grace
and providence.
Response to
False Information about the Schneller Orphanage in Wikipedia
Encyclopedia