Couples spent a weekend at the Franciscan Sisters' convent in Achkout, sharing on their married journey through photos, a silent contemplative walk and a session on managing time.
Organized by Metanoia Listening Center and the Family Committee of the Greek Melkite Catholic Diocese of Sidon and Deir El-Qamar, couples met in a joyful atmosphere at the convent of the Franciscan Sisters in Achkout for a relational and recreational weekend on 13 and 14 May, experiencing community life and sharing their experiences.
The gathering began with get-to-know-you and icebreaker games – a fun and very joyful time. After lunch and a break, everyone came together for the first relational theme: each person chose two pictures that had touched them in a particular moment of their married journey and reflected on them for half an hour. Then everyone gathered and shared about the pictures, each expressing their experience and view of the theme. The session lasted three hours and included deep individual and couple sharing as they exchanged experiences and ideas. After dinner the theme continued, since there was so much to share, and then the couples enjoyed a spontaneous, cheerful evening with games that added to the lovely atmosphere.
The second day began on Sunday morning with a silent contemplative walk in nature. The magic of the place was itself a song of praise and a prayer rising from the rustling trees, the birdsong and the participants' praise – a wonderful atmosphere that helped everyone reflect, pray and thank God for all His gifts.
After a break, we began the second theme, "Managing Time," for two hours. Its aim was to organize our time between what is important and what is most important in the current situation, where couples race against time to provide for life's necessities and their family's needs, fall into the trap of chaos and fail to find time for themselves and their spouse – which affects family life, weakens bonds and breeds anger. The couples shared, and the fruits were very rich.
To close there was an evaluation session, in which each person expressed the fruits they had received from these two days and the resolution they intend to bring into their way of life to improve their own life and that of their family, and everyone exchanged heartfelt words expressing sincere feelings.
