A couple of weeks ago, I told you about my Syrian friend Omar, who escaped with his life from the Assad regime some time in 2017. To refresh your memory, we met Omar and his then girlfriend on a trip to Athens, which Becky and I took with a team hosted by Servant Group International to better acquaint ourselves with the crisis caused largely by the Syrian civil war. Some of you were part of this eyeopening experience through your financial gifts.
I should make it clear that we didn't have much of a chance to get to know Omar and his friends; but the brief contact we had with them left an indelible imprint on us.
You'll remember from Part 1 that Omar is a barber by trade. He generously shared his talent by giving free haircuts to others in the Athens refugee community. Fast forward to 2018, when Omar learns which country he will be resettled in: Lithuania. This Baltic country was anything BUT on Omar's radar.
Fortunately, and you might find this as surprising as I did, the concept of a male barbershop was a relatively new concept in Lithuania when Omar arrived. The men simply went to the same salon as the ladies. But when Omar got there, a new trend of men's barber shops was springing up. He still had to go through some training, and during that training Omar quickly realized he was a better barber than the other guys in his group. This gave him the confidence to apply at one of the hippest men's salons in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital.
Not only was Omar quickly recognized for what he is -- a skilled barber with excellent people skills -- he is now a shareholder in a new franchise of men's barbershops and helping to open their fourth shop.
Oh, and did I mention that since moving to Vilnius he has learned English and is now working on Lithuanian?
All this with a an upbeat attitude, positive outlook, and disarming smile.
On this Easter Sunday, I am reminded of the central place of Redemption in this God-infused world. And I'm grateful for reminders like Omar's story.
Happy Easter.