MEET LEILA

Leila preparing canned food to be distributed to vulnerable families in her neighborhood

When armed forces entered our area in Syria and began raiding homes, burning places, arresting and killing people indiscriminately, we fled with one bag for our entire family. To this day, my daughter is mad at me for not taking her favorite toy. We were first displaced within Syria, and since we crossed to Lebanon, we moved 13 times before arriving to this city we are now in. Life up until this point was miserable. We had nothing. It felt like we were living among the dead but still alive. Surviving but not living. In Lebanon, we passed through a lot of hardships. The COVID pandemic made our situation worse as my husband could barely leave the house and make any money. If my husband doesn’t go to work one day, it is a day we spend without food.

Thankfully, the church always stood by our side. They gave us blankets and mattresses, as well as milk, diapers, and food boxes. Sometimes, they even cooked meals for us. My two youngest children have also been enrolled in their learning center for three years. It has had a big impact on them and they have been learning so well there. They became more knowledgeable than I am. They speak English better than anyone else in the house and even their attitude changed for the better.

What really changed my life for the better was to be part of the Mouneh project, where we are paid to prepare canned food which will be distributed to people in need. It came at the right time because my husband couldn’t find any work at the time and it was an opportunity for me to earn an income, which helped me pay off some of the debt we have been accumulating. But the best part of it all was knowing that my work would help someone in need by providing them with much needed healthy food in these difficult times.

When the Beirut explosion happened, I was devasted. At the time I didn’t have anything to give but I just wanted the opportunity to help in any way possible. My health wasn’t good so I couldn’t even donate blood. When I was told that this project would in turn help people, I jumped at the opportunity. Regardless of how tired I am, knowing that I am helping someone who isn’t able to work and provide for his family takes all my weariness of the day away.

Our situation remains difficult, and each month I have to choose between buying shoes and clothes to my kids or feeding them, between paying rent or paying off our debt. But now we know God is with us. Every time I feel like I am suffocating, I pray and tell God that I know He exists and will never abandon His children.