If An Orphaned Teenage Refugee Can, What's Stopping You?

byJozeph

3.5K followers

Updated 8 years ago

Hey Friends

Many of you know I'm involved in helping out Syrian refugees here in the Middle East, you might also recall the story I wrote about a Syrian lad I helped out, by purchasing the equipment he needed, to start up his "shoe shine" business. Well that was almost 2 years ago, he was living on the street with his 8 year old sister, no parents, no money, nada.

When I first met this lad, his state was deplorable, dirt baked into his skin, his clothes torn and tattered. He often resorted to eating out of garbage cans along some of the dirty and ill kept streets of Beirut. Yet I took to him so fast, he has a true Warrior Spirit...

Where is he now?

Well with the money he made from his shoe shine enterprise, which he worked at everyday, from 7 in the morn to 10 at night, not only did he feed and clothe his younger Sis, and get a small room, he also cleaned himself up, and got a job at a small grocery store. Now bare with me, the story doesn't end here.

While chatting with him last fall, he mentioned that he knew of a shipment of high quality stainless steel pots coming in from Syria, and that he and a friend were thinking of buying a few sets at $50.00 each, then selling them at a bazaar. We walked over to a local shop that carried the same brand, which they were retailing for over $300.00.

I told him to go for it, threw in an extra few hundred to help them get going. The rest is history...

From Rags To Riches.

~ Sai'id and I

I stopped in at the Bazaar last week to see him, was I in for a surprise. He'd grown from a tiny table to 3 full spots, all covered with a gazebo type shelter he and his friend built. There was everything you could want for your kitchen, dishware, cutlery, even small electrical appliances. Well while talking with him, looking at all the work they'd accomplished, not to mention that I could hardly move around his crowded tables, I got chills, tears filled my eyes, I felt so proud of him. Wow...

The reason behind my story...

To me, this is a true success story, against the odds.

How many times do we whine, finding excuses, rather than looking at all the tools at our disposal to help us succeed?

Here's this Lad, who'd been orphaned because of the war, started with nothing except challenges, and with no other place to go but up, add to the pot, his Sister in tow.

I truly Love this kid

That's all for now Folks :)

Joseph

Beirut

Hope you enjoyed :)