10 Guest Blog Series - Phyllis
Our 10 Guest Blog Series continues with one of our long time donors, Phyllis Mathis. Phyllis has partnered with us from the beginning and has been one of our biggest cheerleaders. Not only has she financial supported us, she has volunteered at events and she has offered her professional services to help advise on mental health issues facing refugees. She is Licensed Counselor, Spiritual Mentor, Life Coach with over 30 years of experience. You can check her out as a cohost on the podcast Soul + Practice: Raw Conversations & Real Practices with Kathy Escobar & Phyllis Mathis
Beirut and Beyond turns 10 this year! It’s a time to celebrate the past, and to gather the support necessary to dream into the future. As a long-time supporter I’m here to invite you to do just that.
I love the genius of Beirut and Beyond, both for the things they accomplish and for the way they accomplish them, partnering with people who are serving their own community.
When I consider the many reasons I support Beirut and Beyond, they all emerge from the blood sweat and (many, many) tears of founder and director Suzann Mollner. Here are the highlights:
1. Her friendship, experience, and passion. I support Suzann because she is my friend. Since 1995 I’ve watched her grow and struggle, succeed and fail, agonize and celebrate, but never have I ever seen her give up on her vision to spend her life making a difference. Through Beirut and Beyond, she courageously serves Palestinian refugees in ways that honor their lived experiences, empowering them to make a lasting difference in their own communities.
2. Her skills. Leadership, innovation, organizational ability, and communication skills are necessary for building an organization that serves any function, but when it comes to serving a chronically under-resourced group of people in a foreign country, these skills are essential. With Suzann, they are innate.
3. Her knowledge. I was astonished to learn that there are over seven million human beings who have permanent refugee status in four countries throughout the Middle East, without citizenship, basic human rights, or essential human services. Everything I know about the Palestinian narrative I learned directly from Suzann. The educational arm of Beirut and Beyond is an important part of the organization. Her knowledge and on-the-ground experience is irrefutable, and her skill in educating us, beyond our systemic ignorance of the Palestinian story, is remarkable.
4. Her personal approach. I love the stories Suzann tells of the friends she has made in Palestinian refugee camps, and the hospitality she has been honored to enjoy among those who welcome her into their homes. Beirut and Beyond is not about politics, and not about causes; it’s about real relationships and authentic partnerships. Because she partners with refugees who are working with minimal resources meeting real needs within and beyond the camps, I trust that every dollar invested makes a direct difference in someone’s life.
Partnering with Beirut and Beyond gives me the rare opportunity to directly support individuals and families that the rest of the world is willing to misunderstand, vilify, or conveniently abandon.
Being part of the support team for Beirut and Beyond has been a pleasure and an honor, one which I will continue for as long as the organization exists. I hope you’ll do the same.