Mahmoud, a refugee, enters a butcher shop in Lebanon to purchase meat with the last of his money. What happened next he never would have imagined!
Mahmoud lives in the Bekaa Valley, an area now covered with thousands of tents to house impoverished refugees. They have come over from Syria to escape the war, and most have struggled to find adequate food and shelter.
"What can I get you?" the butcher asked Mahmoud. He explained to the butcher that he only had 2,000 Lebanese Pounds to his name (a little more than 1 Dollar). Mahmoud motioned to the scraps of the cow, something you would only use to make animal feed.
The butcher could tell that Mahmoud was a refugee and he asked him: "Why would you use the last of your money to buy food for an animal?"
Mahmoud couldn't hold it together any longer. He began to weep as he explained that the food was not for an animal, but for his wife and seven children. His family had lost everything in Syria. They hadn't had a filling meal in months and Mahmoud was desperate to provide anything to fill their stomachs.
The butcher was shocked. He paused for a moment and remembered the day that a Call of Hope Frontline Worker gave so freely to him. He remembered how he received food and shelter in a time of need. Most importantly he remembered how Frontline Workers had shared Christ with him, and the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for him. The butcher himself was of very little means, but he couldn't imagine sending Mahmoud away with the animal feed.
Without another second of hesitation, the butcher reached out of his own pocket to buy Muhammed several pounds of the best chicken he had!
As a result of this act of generosity, Mahmoud was not only able to feed his family, but now they are all regularly attending services at the church planted by Call of Hope. Today they are hungry, not for food, but for God's word. They eagerly ask questions about Jesus and they want to know more about the God in heaven who loves them!
Here is how you can pray:
- Please pray for Mahmoud's family as they grow in their faith in Christ.
- Pray that God would protect and care for refugee families in Lebanon as they face brutal winters without adequate shelter.
- Pray for financial provision so that our frontline workers in Lebanon can provide food, clothing, and warmth to more refugee families this winter!
P.S. You can be the answer to our prayers. If you want to help Mahmoud's family and other refugees, you can give a gift below!
