Park Photographs 2011  -  Play Area Photographs 2005 - 2010

Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) Community Park includes youth facilities. These facilities are open to Christian and Muslim youth of both genders from the age of 1 month to the age of 21 years. Use of the youth facilities is not based on gender, marital status, or religion.

Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) Community Park includes a school age Play Area with a basketball court and a volleyball court, large open grounds, and St. Ann Kindergarten. St. Ann Kindergarten includes a fenced-in preschool Play Area and a building with three recreational rooms (one room has a table tennis [ping pong]) table, three bathrooms, a kitchen area, and a storage area. Then, in unfavorable weather and in darkness, the youth have access to indoor games. Additionally, they have access to food, drink, and bathrooms.

During Winter 2011 - 2012, on a typical dry, warm day, about thirty five (35) to fifty (50) boys are playing basketball and table tennis (ping pong) and about ten (10) to fifteen (15) girls are playing volleyball. Additionally, about five (5) to ten (10) families with young children come. These women supervise their children, drink tea, and socialize. Currently, all the families are Christian. Muslim youth and families are welcome and are expected to come later.

During Summer 2011, usually, about twenty five (25) to forty (40) unaccompanied youth were in Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) Community Park. Most of these youth ranged in age from twelve (12) years old to nineteen (19) years old. Most of these youths were boys. Some of the youths were girls. Additionally, about twelve (12) to twenty (20) families with young children came to this Park. Usually, they came on Friday and on Sunday, which are the holidays. All the youth and families were Christian.

Patron Saint

On Mon., June 6, 2011, the day that the schools closed for Summer 2011, Saint George Melkite Greek Catholic Church opened Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) Community Park. After the schools closed for summer recess, some children came directly from their school to this Park. Several days later, Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) Community Park was blessed. The patron saint of this park is Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias). Holy Prophet Elijah the Thesbite (Mar Elias) was one of the great prophets in the Old Testament of the Bible. Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) preached in the local area.

Value

Saint Prophet Elijah Community Park is the only park within the town of Zababdeh. For the first time, these youth have a recreational facility. Now, families can send an unaccompanied youth to a park and families can take young children to a park. This park is a safe place for children. This park has increased the activities available for youth and has improved their quality of life. Parents are at ease with where their children are and what their children are doing. Additionally, now, families with young children can meet and talk informally with other families with young children. These women enjoy drinking tea together. Additionally, these children and their families are within a Christian environment.

Days and Hours

When school is out of session (Summer), Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) Community Park is opened from 5 p.m. to Sunset on Monday to Thursday and on Saturday; and from 12 noon to Sunset on Friday, Sunday, and legal holidays. When school is in session, Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) Community Park is opened from 2 p.m. to Sunset on Monday to Thursday and on Saturday; and from 12 noon to Sunset on Friday, Sunday, and legal holidays. (During the summer, due to the heat, many parents will not let their children out of their non-air-conditioned homes until about 5 or 6 pm. Friday and Sunday are the weekend days in Zababdeh.) Then, the Saint Prophet Elijah (Mar Elias) Community Park is opened when St. Ann Kindergarten is closed for the day and when it is cool enough for the children to be outdoors.

Three Step Plan

Step One is to use St. George’s biggest unused physical asset, the land, as a park; to use St. George’s biggest unused social asset, the adults, as volunteer care takers and supervisors of the youth; and to use St. George’s existing youth facilities, St. Ann Kindergarten and the school playground, as the core facilities. (Abouna Firas thinks that he has the only swing set in Zababdeh. Zabbabdeh does not have a park.

St. George Church is at Step One.

Step Two is to purchase traditional indoor games for the youth and their adult supervisors, such as table tennis, billiards / pool, cards, dominoes, etc., and to build an outside Sport Court for Badminton, Basketball, Tennis, and Volleyball.

For Step Three, Abouna Firas is considering several options. These include an outdoor Sport Field that includes Soccer (which they call “Football”) and American Football; Tetherball, more playground equipment, and picnic equipment, such as picnic tables, umbrellas, and shade covering.

Thank You

St. George Church gratefully thanks The Pilgrims of Ibillin for their generous donation to begin this project.