Claude Shaheen is a Lebanese man who comes from a Christian background. He was plunged into the Lebanese Civil War and lived through it. It robbed him of his youth and his future. To this day, the war has left its effects on him. He tried many remedies, ways to forget it, and one of those was attending church. He tried to silence his conscience, but to no avail.
Claude had a feeling within to search for the truth; he wanted peace. He lived in a cottage in a land he owned far away from people. He thought solitude might lead him to God. During that time, a friend of his invited a Heart for Lebanon team to visit him. He had many questions, and it was a long discussion that led him to join the worship gathering the next day. That Sunday, he accepted Christ Jesus as his Lord and Savior!
He started growing in Christ and in his knowledge. As time passed, Claude was asked to volunteer and help Heart for Lebanon in their ministry. Soon after, he joined the Missional Leadership Program because he wanted to know more on how to reach others with Christ as he was reached.
“I knew nothing about Christ. Although I come from a Christian background, I was unable to talk about Christ with anyone. The program taught me further about Jesus, and gave me the courage to talk about Him with others,” Claude said when expressing how the program affected him.
“Due to the program, I was able to tell people about Jesus and invite them to church to join the meeting. Many have come with me, and many accepted Christ—they are now taking discipleship courses to get ready to be baptized soon. The program taught me how to approach souls, how to start a conversation with them, how to lead them to know of their need for Christ’s salvation, and how to assist them in accepting Him as Lord,” he continued.
“This peace that flooded my life is unutterable. I never had peace; I never was at peace with anyone! I never cried. Life toughened me up and I was never able to shed a tear, even when my parents died. Now, I cannot stop crying when I talk about Jesus. What a Lord we serve! The Lord changed it all! The Lord changed me! The program taught me how to be like my savior, in word and deed,” he said with tears in his eyes.
“My only dream for the future is ministry! I have no other dream. The program restored hope in me! I have no greater dream than to use what I have learned in the Missional Leadership Program in serving the Lord,” Claude concluded.
