A group from Great Britain's Salesian Youth Ministry visited Lebanon recently, where they took part in summer camps for refugee children and had the opportunity to share experience with their counterparts from Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. Photo: Sr Gill McCambridge

Sue McDonald, Sr Gill McCambridge, Georgina Hindley, Zach Pierce, Jack Lyons and Fr Bob Gardner travelled to Beirut to stay with the Salesian community at of Don Bosco Hsoun, where they began with a tour of the house by Don Vittorio, who told them about the history of the Salesian presence in Lebanon. Next, they went to the nearby Salesian school, Don Bosco Technique, and then spent time at the Oratory, which caters for the 250 young Iraqi people living in Beirut.

Photo: Sr Gill McCambridge

The group also visited some spectacular historic and religious sites, including the World Heritage Site of Byblos, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and the Shrine of St Charbel Makhluf, in a breathtaking location above the clouds.

Zach said,'It was an absolute pleasure working with this inspirational group of young people over the last couple of days. As Iraqi refugees, opportunities to play have been, and still are, few and far between. Here Iraqi and Syrian Salesian volunteers let them be children again.'

Our own Valdocco in Britain project is offering a similar opportunity to young refugees and asylum seekers in the UK this summer. Find out more and please donate to the project if you can.