HARISSA, Lebanon – In the mountains near Beirut, a giant statue of the Virgin Mary atop a spiral pedestal holds her hands out in the direction of the Mediterranean Sea, visible beyond the railing of Our Lady of Lebanon sanctuary.

It's a tranquil place; far removed although not unaffected by the country's seemingly endless cycle of economic turmoil and security threats .

Lebanon is a small multi-faith country that is about 30 percent Christian – the biggest percentage of any country in the Middle East. Last week the country celebrated a quiet 82nd independence day from French rule – with no grand parades or festivities because of what Lebanese normally call 'the situation'.

The current situation is a year-old ceasefire with Israel, routinely broken by the Israeli military, including a dr

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