As music plays in one room, a group of teenagers rehearse a dramatic scene. Down the hall, colorful yarn is transformed into handmade scrunchies and hats, while young artists carefully add the final touches to paintings that tell stories words often cannot. Outside, laughter erupts from a ping pong match before drifting toward the arcade and board games, where conversations continue long after the competition ends.
This is summer at Manara Youth Center. Throughout July and August, the center welcomes youth into a vibrant environment filled with recreational activities, creative workshops, sports, and spiritual gatherings. Yet beyond every class, tournament, and game lies a greater purpose: creating a place where young people feel seen, valued, and inspired to discover their God-given potential.
Youth explored everything from cooking, crochet, candle and soap making, plastic canvas to chess, football tournaments, trivia games, traditional zaffe (a type of folk dancing), and more.
Discovering Talents
Some classes have become long-standing favorites. Now in its third year, the drawing program recently carried out a Mental Health art exhibition, inviting young artists to reflect on their emotions through paintings that ranged from bright expressions of hope to darker portrayals of personal struggles. Following the exhibition, selected pieces were displayed beyond the center, allowing the youth’s creativity and perspectives to reach a wider audience.
One class that particularly encourages self-expression is the drama program. Drawing on professional experience in Lebanon’s theater community, youth worker Rana creates an environment where participants learn far more than acting techniques. Through improvisation, movement, and role-play, youth develop confidence, communication skills, and healthy ways to express emotions.
One exercise invited students to step into the role of someone passionately defending a cause they believed in. What followed surprised even their instructor. Through the safety of performance, young people found themselves expressing fears, frustrations, and experiences they might never have voiced otherwise.
A Place Where Youth Belong
Crucially, the youth aren’t just passive visitors; they help shape the center itself. When young people express interest in a new idea, the team listens, leading directly to the creation of popular requests like the traditional Zaffe dance classes and a newly formed girls’ basketball team.
For 18-year-old Amir, who participates in sports but discovered a deep love for acting through the drama class, the center’s atmosphere made all the difference. “I love to make people laugh and to express myself,” he shares. “I used to love acting before, but here, I found people who encouraged me. My favorite part about coming to the summer program is the encouraging things I hear and the lovely people. Everyone loves and respects us. You can express yourself as much as you want here.”
Opening the Door to Something Greater
Recreation has never been the final destination at Manara. It is the beginning of deeper relationships. The trust built over a game of chess, a shared script, or a high-stakes football match naturally opens the door to honest, life-changing conversations.
That foundation allows youth to transition seamlessly into ongoing spiritual programs like Youth Clubs, the Superwoman group (a long-term relational ministry curriculum developed by Youth for Christ for teenage girls ages 12 to 18), and targeted discipleship Core Groups. In these safe spaces, teens are invited to bring their real-life struggles and toughest questions, tackling everything from the reliability of Scripture to navigating difficult family dynamics. Through retreats, guest speakers, and open debates, young people are discovering how faith intersects with their daily lives.
During a recent session on reconciliation, one young woman in a Core Group listened to a speaker share about forgiving a parent who opposed her faith. Facing a remarkably similar situation with her own father at home, the teen felt empowered to choose love and prayer over bitterness,a quiet shift that is already transforming her home environment. For some teens, without the initial bridge of recreational classes, moments of deep encounters like this might never have found a place to begin.
In a city where young people often carry heavy burdens far beyond their years, Manara Youth Center continues to stand as a beacon of safety and joy. As August draws to a close, the summer schedule will eventually wind down, but we pray that the impact of these past weeks remains. We pray that teenagers step out of the shadows of isolation here, leave their worries at the door, and realize that they are fully known by God, deeply loved, and free to dream.