I am Joumana from Lebanon. I joined the Community, aged 25, fourteen years ago. I used to teach philosophy to senior year classes and assisted in the production of televised cultural programs.

Having, on the one hand, gone through phases questioning my faith and, on the other, loving life a lot and dreaming of advanced studies and marriage, the thought that one day I “would tumble into God’s love” and that that love would call me to abandon and surrender everything, never crossed my mind.

Searching for “the truth”, at 20, I gave vent to the following challenge : “If philosophy proves God’s existence to me, I will believe, otherwise that’s the end of faith for me”. Taking me at my word God, at first, approached me through philosophy… A brother, studying with me, having invited me to attend Saturday Vespers with the Community it is then that the God of philosophers revealed his most loving face and touched my heart with the beauty that emanated from the place, from the faces, from the songs… and spontaneous prayers : that evening I understood that His name is “Lord”, and that He is “the Truth”.

At the age of 24,  during the visit of Thérèse’s relics to Lebanon the Community crossed my path again, and I joyfully discovered the new program of retreats that had just been set up. From retreat to retreat the madness of a calling resounded in me and all the other desires already present just gave way. The strength of my resistance matched that of my attraction to this unequalled love, and day by day I allowed myself to be invaded by this unique desire: «To love is to give everything and to give oneself». Everything in the Community spoke to my heart ! So I said yes, and I never regretted it.

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”… no greater happiness either, for “who is in God, lacks nothing” !

  Joumana