Tricia:
You asked about the antiochian orthodox church - from what you have said, it sounds like your family may have been Melkite, which is Eastern Orthodox.

I have a Michael Abdo m. Nustas Abounajem around 1865 in or around the Zahle area - probably Ferzol, if not in Zahle. Michael owned a grain mill; they had two children of which I am aware - Abraham and Nishmay (Mary).

Abraham had six children - Mitrie, Nustas, Serrea, Abdo, George and Michiel - as far as I am aware, they stayed in Lebanon.

Nishmay married Rachid Assad (Richard Farris from Terbol, just south of Zahle) in app 1885 in Ferzol, and had two children before coming to the U.S.

If this sounds familiar, let me know. Teresa