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When we say brotherhood at Christ School, we mean the kind of brotherhood that crosses continents.
Our vote for the best story from Spring Break 2025 involves Young House Proctors, dorm roommates, football teammates, and very dear friends, Abdullah Al ledan ’25 and Jordan Edgecomb ’25.
Abdullah is one of the school’s first-ever international students from Iraq, which means he often spends the holidays and other breaks with the Edgecomb family in Atlanta. He sought refuge there when Hurricane Helene rolled through Arden and evacuated campus in late September.
As Jordan’s mother, Marybeth P’22, P’25 says: “Abdullah has been like a bonus son to us.”
Parents for both Greenies met for the first time in January when Abdullah gave his Senior Speech. They smiled and posed for pictures afterwards as snow flurries were falling all around them. The families also knew that something special was in the making.
That thing was Jordan’s Spring Break trip, considered his graduation present, to Abdullah’s home city of Basrah – the third-largest in Iraq with a population of 1.49 million. The long journey included an overnight for the boys in Doha, Qatar.
Marybeth does a great job of filling in the details:
“Jordan had an incredible 10-day trip over Spring Break, shortened only because he had to come back to be a groomsman in his oldest brother's wedding on March 22. Abdullah's family was incredibly gracious and hospitable. The visit coincided with Ramadan, so Jordan got to experience many special events including after-dark feasts and the celebration of Gargee'an when the children of the neighborhoods move from house to house and stand at the door and shout whatever blessings the family asks for, in exchange for candy and treats. Dr. Ali said that the children at their door shouted, "Please God bless this family, please God bless their son Jordan!"
Abdullah and Jordan were able to visit the International Academy of Iraq, a school attended by Abdullah’s younger brothers, and talk about high school and college admissions in the United States. They were teammates through Christ School football and Jordan has signed to play at the next level for Colgate University.
“It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience made possible only because of the tight brotherhood that Christ School fosters,” Marybeth said.
“Abdullah and Jordan will be lifelong friends, I am sure of it. And his family and ours are inextricably bound.”