By Sr. Natalie Sayde Salameh, MSCL
The Maronite Servants of Christ the Light attended this year’s National Apostolate of Maronites (NAM) Convention in Houston, Texas from July 11thto July 15th, 2018. We were blessed with the opportunity to meet and mingle with over 1,000 of our Maronite parishioners who attended from all over the US to meet and greet, his Eminence Cardinal Leonardi Sandri, Prefect to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for the Eastern Catholic Churches. Cardinal Sandri was very active throughout the Convention, attending all prayer services, Divine Liturgies, banquets, conferences, and even facilitating a special Q&A breakfast with the MYA, with both myself and Sr. Therese Maria in attendance.
We had a table in the exhibitors area where we met so many new people and were able to speak to them one on one. In addition to the selling of our baby items, we also had a prayer corner, in which many people unburdened themselves and prayed with a sister for their needs and intentions.
There were a number of highlights: we attended a Theology on Tap with both Bishops Gregory Mansour and Elias Zaidan, held at St. Arnold’s brewery in downtown Houston. We were able to listen to a number of talks on a wide variety of topics including “How to have a Happy Marriage” delivered by Dominic Albano from Dynamic Catholic and the “Catholic/Orthodox Unity” delivered by Chorbishop John Faris.
We attended the Panel Commission on the affairs of Lebanon in its current political and economic state, where we were able to listen to the many concerns and issues plaguing Lebanon at the moment. Cardinal Sandri was on the panel, in addition to Mr. Gabriel Issa, Ambassador to Lebanon. 
Also, we were interviewed by Telelumiere on a number of occasions and were asked about the foundation of our community, to give a vocation witness and what we find most fulfilling in our role as the spiritual mothers of the parish. We attended the evangelical concert of Lebanon’s Christian singer, Ghada Chbeir, who moved the audience to tears by her strong faith, radiant joy and sweet angelic voice
May God bless the efforts and work of all those involved in this year’s Convention. It was a great success. We look forward to attending next year in Miami, Florida, God willing.