ONE: Did you have any Muslim neighbors before the war started? EK: Before, there were only Maronite Christians. The only others were Syrian workers, migrant farmers who would visit for a season at a time. ONE: What has your work as a volunteer working with Syrian refugees taught you? EK: Through working with the Syrian refugees, I have come to know hardship. Some of them say: “You can’t help us; we need more.” That makes me feel down — even frustrated — but at the end of the day, you can only do so much.
he did a bad job. When the owner told other people about it, he said unkind things about all Syrians. ONE: Can you tell me what changes you have witnessed over the last three years in this region as a result of the war in Syria? EK: A lot of things have changed, being so close to Syria. We see fewer travelers. Tourists from Iraq, Jordan and Egypt no longer visit — they are scared by our nearness to the border, by the fighting and retaliation between Shiites and Sunnis. Christians worry about being caught in the middle. ONE: Do you have any words to share about your philosophy on
how this sectarian conflict can be resolved? EK: We are one. All we need is for people to see how Muslims and Christians treat each other as human beings. Think about the animal kingdom: The strong animals kill the weak ones. If this is how human beings live, the strong keep killing the weak, there will be no progress — just the law of the jungle. For me, doing good differentiates me from the animals. Over time, maybe I will help other people because of my example. I do good in order to differentiate myself from the animals. I am sorry to put it so simply, but it is the truth.
“I do good in order to differentiate myself from the animals.” ONE: What is your personal advice to others in helping Muslims, bridging the differences and exposing biases? EK: I think to myself: When I lay my head on my pillow, what would make me feel more at peace — if I work against other people and feed into the negativity, or if I help other people? Which would help me sleep better at night? I advise everyone to think deeply about this. ONE: Have you suffered any backlash from friends, family or fellow Christians? EK: I know some people who say, “Good for you,” and others who say, “What business do you have with the Syrians?” But this is mostly because of preconceptions and prejudices. For example, a Syrian worked on someone’s house and