I Was Fighting My Own War Against Injustice and Violence

MY PAST: I grew up in Rmaysh, near the border between Israel and Lebanon, during a time of civil war. I have vivid memories of land-mine explosions and innocent victims with missing limbs.  Life was hard, and crime and violence were widespread.

Our family belonged to the Maronite Church, one of the Eastern Catholic Churches.  Father was always busy providing materially for our family of 12, but Mother made sure that the rest of us went to church. In time, I began to feel that the church, like society in general, failed to support the weak.

During our teenage years, I developed an interest in kung fu.  I went through rigorous training and became skilled at delivering hand and foot blows and at using various martial arts weapons. I thought to myself, 'I cannot stop the war, but I can at least try to stop violent people.' Whenever I saw two people fighting, I immediately interfered. I was quick-tempered by nature, and it dd not take much to make me angry. People all over southern Lebanon were afraid of me, as I was fighting my own war against injustice and violence. 

In 1980, I joined a kung fu club in Beirut. Bombs, shells, and rockets fell daily, but I still went for my training. My life was all about eating, sleeping, and living like Bruce Lee, a Chinese-American actor and kung fu champion.  I copied his hairstyle, his way of walking, and his style of shouting when he performed kung fu . I never smiled. 

Next time: Continue with:  I Was Fighting My Own War Against Injustice and Violence-HOW THE BIBLE CHANGED MY LIFE

From the Watchtower magazine, 2014