My direct relationship with H.E. started on Saturday February 18,
1980. My father passed away early morning and everyone I know was coming to
our house to express condolences and be with my mother, sister and I.
H.E. boards his plane from Athens to Lebanon just for this reason. I remember him
getting to our house in Ras Beirut from Athens before a lot of others could make it
from inside the Beirut area and suburbs that day. He entered our house in Ras
Beirut and looked at me and said: “Don’t worry habibi. All will be fine. GOD rest
your father’s soul. Be strong.” He stayed in Beirut until after the burial and left
town. He was with us in every step of the way.
One Sunday afternoon in June of 1980 - after I had graduated from International
College (IC) with the Lebanese Baccalaureate II High School Diploma - the
telephone rings at our house. I was the only one there (my mother and sister went
to my aunt’s house). I answered the phone and H.E. was on the other end. He said:
“Mabrouk habibi I heard you graduated from IC, congratulations, I am proud of
you. Keep it up”. Last but never least as it always happens when he talks to me or
sees me, he would ask me the question “:Do you need anything?” “Are you doing
ok?” My answer would be : “Thank You Uncle Issam, I am fine thank you so
much.”
I remember that every time H.E. would visit Lebanon, I would call to try to see
him and say hello - he who knows H.E.’s schedule would know how difficult it is
to have some face time with him due to his busy and very hectic schedule - and
every time I call I would get the same answer from his people, “He wants us to tell
you that you’re welcome anytime, do you need us to send you a car to pick you
up? Just let us know when you’re arriving so we tell him. He wants to see you
too.” Some other times, I was not lucky enough to get an answer, so I would leave
a message for him; and every time, he would personally call me back and invite
me to his house for lunch or dinner. It never fails.
I would arrive to H.E.’s house in Mar Shaaya and would get confused as to what
to do with so many people outside and in waiting to see him and talk to him. As
always, someone would approach me and lead me inside directly to him.
He would stand up, smile at me, kiss me and say: “how are you habibi, good to see
you, come in”. He would then seat me right next to him and in front of all that
were there, regardless of who they were, he would always say to everyone present:
“Do you know Oussama Barbar? He is the son of Halim Barbar, His father was
one of my best friends. He is like a son to me.” And he would smile again at me.
No matter where and when I ran into him, he would always promote me and
remind me of his friendship with my father as if to tell me not to worry and that he
is always behind me.
In late 1982, I received a telephone call. It was his son Mr. Nijad I. Fares. He said:
”are you going to be home? I am in Lebanon and I want to come and see you: I
said yes and was very excited.
Nijad comes over to our house in Ras Beirut, sits with me in the living room and
starts making sure that all is well with me by asking me all kinds of questions. He
tells me not to worry about anything and that if things do not work out for me in
Lebanon, I can always call him directly and he will make sure that I can travel to
the US and pursue my education and everything will be taken care of by H.E. and
he left me with all his direct contact information. I thanked him for that and I
remember that I was so moved that I could not fall asleep that night.
Early in 1983, after spending two years at AUB studying pre-medicine, Lebanon’s
war situation was getting real bad to where I would go one day to school and skip
ten days. So I decided to take Mr. Nijad Fares up on his offer. I remember calling
him at his house in Denver, Colorado. It was three in the morning their time. A
person I do not know answered the phone. I asked him for Mr. Nijad Fares; he told
me that he is not available; however, Mr. Michael Fares his elder brother is home
but sleeping. I asked the man to wake him up and he said that he could not do that.
I persisted saying that I am calling from Lebanon and I was given their number to
call in case I needed anything. So the man hesitantly agreed and woke up Mr.
Michael Fares. Michael picks up the phone with a worried tone and says:”
Oussama are you ok?” I said: “yes I am” and briefly told him the story of what
Nijad offered me back when he was in Lebanon. Automatically, Michael says: “No
problem, let me see what I can do. I will let you know.”
I remember that one week later, someone calls me from H.E.’s office in Beirut and
tells me that he will be helping me in getting all the paperwork needed to be able
to get me a visa to the US. All I need to do is let him know what I needed.
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