Stories

No Such Thing as Coincidence

That day, Mohammad came to the Saadnayel Center for the very first time. We were hosting a distribution of diapers and infant milk, and although he had heard about the center through people in the area, he did not actually need either of those items. Yet something prompted him to come.

Mohammad has been living in Lebanon since 2011. Married to his cousin and the father of three children, he has spent years working hard to provide for his family. Whether in construction, blacksmithing, or any other job he could find, he did whatever was necessary to make ends meet.

When the war escalated, Mohammad was forced to leave Baalbek and relocate to Saadnayel. Today, he and his family live in a tent as they try to rebuild some sense of stability and safety.

The center was busy that day, with people constantly coming and going. In the midst of the activity, Mohammad met Mr. Ziad. What seemed like a simple encounter quickly became something much more.

As they sat together, Mohammad began sharing his story. He spoke about the challenges he had faced, the uncertainty of displacement, and the weight of trying to care for his family under difficult circumstances. For a long time, he simply talked—and someone listened. He was heard. He was given the space to express the frustration, worry, and burdens he had been carrying for so long.

That same day, we were also able to bless him with a food voucher to help support his family.

The following morning, one of our neighbors came to the center early and asked to speak with us. Her first words were gratitude and appreciation for what had been done for Mohammad.

She told us that throughout the evening he had been sharing his experience with others—how encouraged he felt, how much the visit had meant to him, and how it reminded him that good people still exist.

Sometimes, what people need most is not only practical assistance. Sometimes they simply need to know they are seen, heard, and valued.

With God, there is no such thing as coincidence.


* This story is written by Pamela from our center in Zahle*