In Lebanon, it began when the Lebanese people woke up on Friday, October 17th, 2019 to the news that their money was no longer available at the banks and that the Lebanese currency was in a free-fall. They slept making thousands of dollars and woke up with a salary of hundreds of dollars that kept on plummeting to below a hundred dollars. Not only that but a few months after they lost everything, they had to stay home and many did not get their salaries because of the pandemic. It did not stop there, but during a hot afternoon in August, while no diesel was in the country to provide electricity, an explosion ripped through the capital, killing hundreds, and destroying Lebanon’s wheat supply. Now, they had no money, no safety, and no food. Some of the most affected individuals by this crisis are people depending on the public sector, especially retirees.
Fadi is a 53-year-old Lebanese man from Maghdoushe in South Lebanon. He has been married for 18 years and has 4 children; 3 boys and a girl. Fadi used to be an officer in the National Internal Security Force but is retired now. Currently, he is a daily worker. His retirement salary is less than a hundred dollars per month. He is obliged to work and is still struggling to make ends meet. He is barely able to pay for his children’s education.
When Heart for Lebanon knew of Fadi’s situation, they wanted to help. Today his eldest son, Charbel, is a student benefiting from a scholarship from Heart for Lebanon.
Fadi got acquainted with Heart for Lebanon through a friend from his village who benefits from the ministry’s services. He visited Heart for Lebanon’s center in the South, got registered, and started benefiting his family’s food.
Fadi attends Bible study and the Sunday service at Hope Evangelical Church. “My life has been completely transformed after getting to know Christ. After every worship gathering, after every hymn, after every prayer, and after every sermon, I get closer to Christ as I get to know Him more,” he said.
“The difficult circumstances after the economic crisis helped me get closer to God and improved the way I deal with others. I began to understand the suffering of others and pray for them. Heart for Lebanon’s team treats others through love and respect. Through them, I learned about the goodness, lovingness, and tolerance of Jesus Christ. I have become familiar with these values and applied them in my daily life with my family and friends,” he continued.
According to Fadi, getting closer to God made him a better, more tolerant, and empathetic person. Fadi says that he introduced his family to Christ, and is seeking to bring them closer to God. He wants them to be children of Jesus and imitate his attributes. He is taking them with him to the Sunday services.
“I feel rejuvenated after every Sunday gathering. This is thanks to the Lord Himself first and to Heart for Lebanon who helped me get to know Christ and get closer to Him. This turned me into a new person with new good habits,” he concluded.
