When Hasna came to Christ, it was through an audio Bible that someone at Heart for Lebanon gave to her. She could not read so the audio Bible was her close companion for many years.
“I was never sent to school. When my mother died in my childhood, my step-mother decided that I should not go to school; rather, I was supposed to help her. Later, when she gave birth, I was assigned the task of taking care of the baby. There was no time for school. When my sibling grew up, he was sent to school, and my step-mother gave me extra tasks at home. I yearned to learn, but that was that. I had no say—school was not where I belonged, said my father’s wife,” Hasna said with a broken heart.
“I was wedded to man almost 20 years my senior, when I was still a teenager. All hopes of learning where gone, especially when I became a mother. I now had to take care of my husband and my child. That was not all. My husband was a divorcee, and he had children of his own. I had to take care of his children too. There was no way for me to learn whatsoever. The children grew up, and started attending school. I looked at their books and wished to God that I was able to decipher the letters. I was hungry to know what they said. I wanted to know what the secret to reading them was. Being illiterate ached me. I was unable to help the children, and I was unable to help myself. If I needed to go somewhere, I would not be able to read the signs, and often lost my way,” Hasna continued with tears rolling down her face.
Her husband died, leaving her with all of the children. She had to work in order to survive and so did many of the children. During that time, she met someone from Heart for Lebanon’s ministry. Talking about Jesus and her salvation was all new to her. It was nothing she had heard before. But it was what she needed. That staff person wanted to give her a Bible and since she could not read she was given an audio Bible. It was that audio Bible that led her to salvation.
Hasna started attending Bible study lessons and worship gatherings. She has grown spiritually and, we are thrilled to say, will be baptized soon! All of her children started attending the services with her and they too have grown spiritually.
However, there was one thing that she desired more than anything else: to own a Bible that she can read, underline, highlight, and take notes in. She saw other women doing it and wanted that same relationship with the word of God. Little did she know that her heart’s greatest desire was about to be met. Heart for Lebanon decided to resume an literacy program course, and she joined it!
“It was a joy I could not explain. I now finally have a chance to learn how to read. I longed for the day where I will be able to open my Bible and read God’s words; now, the Lord answered my prayers. I will learn and I read His message for myself,” she concluded with tears of joy in her eyes.
There during that first lesson, Hasna was attentive to every letter their teacher was introducing. She had a notebook with her, empty at first, but there so that she can learn how to write the Arabic alphabet in. They had an assignment and the following week she came with that same notebook, now not so empty anymore—Hasna learned her first few letters. She is one step closer to reading her first verses in the word of God.
Your prayers and support have made this possible. Thank you!
