From Silence to Strength

Maroun is a 16-year-old Lebanese boy who lives with his family in Zahle, in the Bekaa Valley. He has five siblings. They all join the ‘Children at Risk’ programs except for their brother Michael who works as a barber and can’t join.

Maroun has been participating in these programs for about six years. He used to be very quiet and shy when he first joined the club. For a long time, he rarely talked and often relied on his brother to speak for him. But over the years, his personality started to change. He became more confident, started expressing his thoughts, and felt more comfortable sharing and communicating with others.

“When the staff first invited me, I thought the program was just for fun, a place to play and spend some time.  I never imagined it would be this impactful or thought we would dive so deep into the Bible” Maroun said

Through the programs, he has learned many good values and life lessons. He became more mature and aware.

“The lesson about gratitude really touched me. One sentence that stuck in my mind was: ‘God has given us so many good things, and the least we can do is thank Him.’ I used to forget to thank and praise God, but this lesson helped me see how many blessings He has given me, even the small ones. Now, I try to thank Him every day for at least one thing. I also liked the topic about making the right choices. It taught me not to be influenced by my friends or others, and not to follow their wrong actions. I need to make my own decisions, stay strong, and do what’s right.  Abraham, Joseph, Noah, and Daniel, all chose what was right, even when it was hard.” He added

Maroun didn’t just gain good principles; he also learned many verses, got to know Bible characters, and was impacted by each one, learning something from their lives. Most importantly, he met Jesus Christ and decided to follow Him.

“Before participating in the program, I didn’t have a deep understanding of the Bible. Although I am Christian, my knowledge was quite limited.  Now, I know how great, powerful, capable, and amazing Jesus is! He has the power to do miracles! He is a good shepherd; He protects us and cares for us. He knows everything about us, even the exact number of hairs on each of His children’s heads. ‘And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered’ Matthew 10:30

Jesus is everything to me. He gave us the gift of eternal life!  I’ve learned how important it is to have a real, daily relationship with Him and to rely on Him.

Through stories and discussions, I was really amazed by people who had real, strong faith in God. Like Moses, standing at the Red Sea with nowhere to go. He trusted God completely, and God made a way. Abraham trusted God even in hard times. He waited a long time for a son, and then was ready to give him back to God when he was asked. And Daniel remained faithful, even when he was thrown into the lions’ den. Their experiences motivate me to strengthen my faith and trust, despite the obstacles I face.” Maroun expressed happily 

Maroun loves to help others meet Jesus and understand who He truly is.

He once shared: “My friend in class swears a lot and often uses bad words. I tried to explain to him that it’s wrong. He told me it’s just normal, but I told him it doesn’t please Jesus. Unfortunately, he didn’t really respond to what I said.”

He enjoys praising the Lord, and singing hymns brings him a sense of peace and closeness to God. He is eager to explore and dive deeper into the Bible.

“Even if we know the story or the chapter, when we read it again or hear it, we might see things from new perspectives.”

Maroun, along with his siblings had questions about the saints. The team explained to them that they should pray directly to God and don’t need a mediator. Maroun was surprised by this and started asking many questions, seeking clear answers. Despite everything, he still has some questions and misconceptions about the saints, because he grew up and was raised with these incorrect ideas.