Join us on this week's episode of Beyond The Lines as we talk with Jamal Hashweh of Global Hope Network International. Hear how their work is helping bring relief, long-term development, and hope to refugees across the Middle East region.
Get access to exclusive content and watch the video podcast on our YouTube! www.youtube.com/channel/UC6sLXxSC0KKjrqL1cq6080g
Show Notes:
Global Hope Network International: https://www.globalhopenetwork.org/
Jamal Hashweh: https://www.globalhopenetwork.org/about/staff/jamal-suzan-hashweh
New Episode every other Wednesday!
Join us on this week's episode of Beyond The Lines as we talk with Jamal Hashweh of Global Hope Network International. Hear how their work is helping bring relief, long-term development, and hope to refugees across the Middle East region.
Get access to exclusive content and watch the video podcast on our YouTube! www.youtube.com/channel/UC6sLXxSC0KKjrqL1cq6080g
Show Notes:
Global Hope Network International: https://www.globalhopenetwork.org/
Jamal Hashweh: https://www.globalhopenetwork.org/about/staff/jamal-suzan-hashweh
New Episode every other Wednesday!
[00:00:00] Jon Miller: Well, welcome everybody to another episode of the, Beyond The Lines podcast, where we just love to try to walk beyond our lines. We all have these lines in our lives, where we draw them in the sand and say, we can't love beyond that line. We can't listen to someone across that line. We can't even get to know one,
[00:00:14] so on the other side of the line, and we want to do something different in the world that is so divisive and is fighting. So, um, today we have on the podcast Jamal Hashweh. Is that right? Um, and do you work with a global.
[00:00:28] Jamal Hashweh: Global Hope Network International
[00:00:31] Jon Miller: In Jordan?
[00:00:32] Jamal Hashweh: And Lebanon. Yep.
[00:00:33] Jon Miller: And it's such an honor to have you here today and just to learn from you, hear stories, as well as just learn more about, um, refugees and, uh, kind of the things that have been happening in Arab nations and all over that.
[00:00:46] So that there's just so much we could talk about. I'm sure where there's no way we're going to hit it all. Um, but I'm just so honored to have you here
[00:00:53] today.
[00:00:53] Jamal Hashweh: With thank you very much. It's my honor. So happy to be here and, um, just meets with, um, fellow Christians and, uh, just have this time together.
[00:01:04] Jon Miller: Awesome.
[00:01:05] Well, first off, can I just ask in general, kind of, what do you do at Global Hope Network?
[00:01:11] Jamal Hashweh: Uh, Global Hope Network International started in the year 2000. Uh, we were at that time, uh, branch off Campus Crusade for Christ, uh, which is Cru today. Um, and then, um, the year, 2003, we became independent. And then I joined, um, uh, the organization 2005 being the founder of the Middle Eastern office, based in Amman Jordan, and, uh, we did serve and continue to serve the countries around us, uh, the country of Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and, uh, try to help some in Sudan and North Africa. Um, what to do actually is to try to bring help and hope to the hidden and the hurting. Now, um, help because so many people starting with the local poor that would need some assistance.
[00:02:06] Uh, and as we were as a country, uh, bombarded with so many, uh, thousands and tens of thousands of refugees, as a matter of fact, the number jumped to two close to 2 million refugees that came in the last 10 years or so. Wow. Uh, that we found, uh, there is more than just need for, um, kind of physical health or providing food, shelter,
[00:02:33] medicine is that many of these, uh, beloved people that I like to call guests, guests of Jordan, you know? Wow. That's we would really. Uh, treat them as guests. And how would you treat your guests? You just literally open your homes, your arms to welcome them and help them as much as you can. Of course, we will not solve the whole problem, but it'll be, you know, something that would with love, hopefully will, will have an impact on someone.
[00:03:04] Jon Miller: Wow. Something you said I've never heard of before or thought of. And I would love to see a little more explanation about it. You said you, you, your goal is to help the hurting and the hidden. What do you mean by hidden?
[00:03:16] Jamal Hashweh: Well,
[00:03:16] there are some people that are forgotten, and this is what I mean, some, some.
[00:03:22] that are marginalized. And, um, it's easy to, to help those that are just literally in front of you. It gets more difficult to find somebody that's hiding or they're away from, you know, the scene. And, uh, for example, you know, one of the things that we do today is we help with heart surgeries for little babies.
[00:03:45] Wow. And, um, I just give an example of, uh, uh, one case, uh, of, uh, boy from Yemen, the country of Yemen. Okay. And we heard about, about this little boy and, uh, worked to get them a visa to come to Jordan here. Dad, we're flown into Jordan and we had the heart operation, which was pretty costly. At the same time,
[00:04:10] um, showed, you know, the love of God that is there. It's not only have the heart surgery, but beyond that show that, uh, you know, Many of them never heard about or experienced at the end, you know, when it was a great successful, uh, operation, the dad asked, you know, tell us more, why do you do that? Wow. So find somebody that is out of the scene, not on the stage or something, bring him with his son, go back with a healthy son after a successful operation.
[00:04:46] He said, who are you? The dad set and we told them about the love of God. And this is where you actually jumped from the help side to the hope praying that these wonderful people will discover that we mean what we say. We mean what we say. You know, I just love a saying that, um, love to quote many times, sometimes all we need to do is that bit of love that's injected in people's lives.
[00:05:13] And the phrase says. People hear the music of our lives, they'll ask for the words. And all we need to do is play them that tune of love that has hands and feet. And then after that, they say, okay, tell us the lyrics of that song, because we have never heard that tune before.
[00:05:33] Jon Miller: That is so good. And that's really powerful.
[00:05:36] How did you get started into this whole Hope Network International and, and kind of, what's your story? Why do you do what you do? You obviously love to love and, and help the hidden. So how'd you get started in
[00:05:47] all of that?
[00:05:48] Jamal Hashweh: Well, our story as a family goes back to actually being refugees ourselves. My dad and mom lived in Palestine before 1948.
[00:06:00] And, um, actually the heritage of our family goes back to the first century. First century, Christians that through the centuries kept the faith, uh, at least the name and my dad through an American missionary, uh, uh, came to know the Lord personally. And then. So theological education, uh, and became pastor, uh, in, in Palestine those days, uh, when 1948 came, um, we had to leave everything behind owning houses and land and everything, and came into Jordan.
[00:06:36] Now we are promised two weeks to go back, but 73 years later, we're still in Jordan. So I mean, we, as a family have been through this, uh, literally losing everything and we learned something about, you know, putting the past behind us, that's helped us to be bitterness free. And look forward to what God has for us.
[00:07:00] And as we went through difficulties of living in very small places, with little resources and felt, and enjoyed the blessings of God as we all grew up and I'm one of seven, I'm actually the youngest of seven. Um, all of us, uh, decided to follow the Lord to start with, and then, uh, just go and stretch that hand of love to the people that are in need as we were there one day.
[00:07:30] And as we continue to do that, great things would take place and happen, uh, you know, for, for the kingdom. So I'll give you an example when, 1991. We had, uh, you know, many Iraqis that came into Jordan, the influx of the, um, you know, the refugees in those days. Um, we welcomed our church, you know, we opened our church and welcomed everybody to come, uh, preparing meals for them.
[00:07:58] Uh, trying to help them as much as we can, trying to find places for them to stay. And so on the first Iraqi meeting was attended by over 600 people. Hmm. And I remember, uh, one of my brothers who's an evangelist spoke that evening in the first meeting. And when the time was there with anybody love and like to receive Jesus in your heart, the whole congregation stood up everybody.
[00:08:25] And I remember my brother said, no, I don't want everybody to stand up. Only those that would say yes to Jesus. They were still on their feet. Nobody's sat down and we could see, you know, after you really care for people that, um, you know, they listen, they see, you know, um, uh, in, in many ways hungry stomachs, don't have ears.
[00:08:50] And if you want to really share the love of God with somebody by words, and that person is really hungry, feed them first, and then he'll be ready to listen.
[00:09:04] Jon Miller: So you're saying that it's more important to care first before speaking.
[00:09:09] Jamal Hashweh: Definitely, you know, Jesus Christ came with grace and truth, and I just love that grace would be like that oil that works on a rusty kind of locked a door.
[00:09:20] And then after a while, then that door is open and then the truth goes in. And so many times as Christians, we just like to use the truth, right away, but grace is there to help people, uh, prepare them. Take care of them. This is the Jesus way. He said I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty. And, and that glass of hot water, cold water and hot day.
[00:09:47] Yeah. And then I was sick. You came to me and so on and so forth. And Jesus said, whatever you have done unto the least of those you have done unto me. So how would we treat this was at refugee. And he was a refugee. He was in Egypt as a refugee. He and Joseph and Mary, when there as refugees. Right. And, and they didn't have much.
[00:10:11] Now I understand why some of the gifts that they received was gold. So they use that for the way. But shortly after that, everything that they had was spent as many of the refugees that left probably had something. Um, but in time, It was all spent and I'm sure some neighbors and others would bring them food and care for them.
[00:10:33] So if, if baby Jesus would be, you know, our neighbor, would we just continue living comfortably without even caring. Jesus said, do it to them, whatever you do to them, you're actually doing it to me. So this is the equation.
[00:10:49] Jon Miller: Do you find. That everybody that you care for or serve, do they all want to know about Jesus or there?
[00:10:56] What, what does, how has, how do you manage
[00:10:58] that?
[00:10:59] Jamal Hashweh: That's a good question. Our responsibility is to solve the seat. The rest is not ours. I mean, I can't change people's lives. Yeah, no one can except God himself. So that's why we pray. We do our part and that part of people responding to the message, um, it's between them and God.
[00:11:19] We still can be there to help them answer some questions. But as a direct answer to a question, no, not everybody responds. Um, because in the Bible it says like there are four areas where you saw the seed, you know, and if there is really a good soil and ready for, for the seed, you'll get some fruit, but 75% in the Bible.
[00:11:44] There are places that still need a lot of work in order to receive, you know, and, um, and respond.
[00:11:51] Jon Miller: Yeah. And the Bible doesn't end Jesus, doesn't say stop sowing seed in those places. And he just says some falls here and some falls there. You never know. Yeah. In your own life, you experienced a lot of being loved and cared for, um, as refugees yourself, you said you ended up staying a lot longer than the three months that or two months.
[00:12:09] It was, uh, that you were allowed in. And, and now today, If I understand correctly, Jordan is still receiving a lot of refugees. And I think you said there's up to 2 million at this point.
[00:12:21] Jamal Hashweh: Oh, total, total, total of 2 million since 2011. And even before that, when you think of the Palestinians, uh, 1948 And then 67.
[00:12:33] Um, and then you had the Lebanese that came temporary to Jordan in the seventies and eighties, and then Iraqis after the first and second Gulf war. Um, and then after that we had the Syrian 2011. And then when ISIS came and, uh, attacked Christians, especially in the Northern part of Iraq, uh, many Iraqi's flat for their lives and they were pushed out of their own homes and, um, to go to Kurdistan and many of them actually landed Jordan.
[00:13:04] So, I mean, uh, one out of five people in Jordan as a refugee from the last 10 years. But if you count the Palestinians, you probably can go four out of five are from a refugee background. Um, and this is a rough figure, but, um, Again, you know, Jesus sits on the highest throne in the universe. All these things happen for a purpose.
[00:13:29] You know, I did serve in many of the surrounding countries, uh, of Jordan and some of the villages would not receive, um, the message of hope. They will not, they will not even allow us to go in and tell them about salvation, all that. So God has his ways to actually have that kind of earthquake to get people out of their villages and literally come at our doorsteps.
[00:13:53] And what do we do? Do we just keep quiet or just, there is a chance to tell people about the love of God, not by words alone, but we need to do something to help them. As I said, empty stomachs, don't have ears. If there is a little place, you know, where these refugees live and in a hot summer, and there is no ventilation of any sort.
[00:14:17] I did visit one, one house where. Literally and you would, you wouldn't, you couldn't stay more than 10 minutes. It's so hot and little babies were sweating and it was horrible. And I was just thinking if there was just one fan at a corner of that place would do some circulation, maybe within our little open door that there will be some, uh, you know, cool and good circulation.
[00:14:45] So actually we, we do have now a project, right? To help about a thousand homes with fans. And we pray that the Lord will provide for that. And we'll be able to, uh, through loving Christians, um, uh, get these fans to the refugees. We already started distributing them and we hope, you know, by the end of, um, maybe this week or next week, we'll go through the thousands.
[00:15:09] Jon Miller: That's amazing and such a, it seems like a small thing, but that's a huge, it, that's a huge thing when you're hot and without air conditioning, I heard it's as hot as it is in Phoenix there, uh, sometimes and to not have any air conditioning or fan, well, it'd be awful
[00:15:28] Jamal Hashweh: Devastating. Uh, um, you know, it's, it, it could be a nice novel.
[00:15:33] Or a story to think about, but when you're living in it, it's, it's terrible, it's horrible. Especially when we see even your kids, you know, in debt, a miserable situation. And where is everybody? Where is our faith? Where is our mission? The Lord ordered us to go and help. It's not an option. If we are real Christians, as we say we are, it is not really, as I said, an option just to, yes, let's do it or not, no go and help them do it.
[00:16:08] And again, do it unto the Lord. Literally if I may say maybe before the next question, you know, if, uh, and we do believe in the word of God and I'm happy, the book of James is part of the word of God and you know, faith without action is dead. So, I mean, I'm sorry to say that so many Christians that the have faith and they don't really do anything to help others.
[00:16:36] I'm afraid there is some deaths there. And if we want to really stand on our feet, And go out and help people. We need to do some action. Let me share a story of a Syrian refugee family and a nearby a man. We went to visit them and this man in his late seventies, uh, with his children and grandchildren, the total, maybe of 12 or 13 in the house, it was very cold.
[00:17:03] Then what's in, um, you know, in February, in January, Sometimes even snow at the moment. So, uh, and that's part of Jordan, but anyway, we went, we brought them some blankets because it was cold. We brought them some food and, and this man was just sitting at the corner. And the corner totally miserable. And, uh, we heard the story that he lost everything.
[00:17:29] He lost his house. Hey, they had some olive trees. It was all blown in there. Anything that he owned is totally gone, came to Jordan with nothing. Okay. There's a man that totally lost belongings and lost hope both. So we talked and try to help them and encourage their hearts then right inside my heart, you know, the Lord told me, you go,
[00:17:56] and be close to him. And I think this man probably did not have a shower for a month or something, and I would just do things from a distance, you know, and then leave and feel good about it. The Lord said, that's not enough. You'll be on your own, feet and you go and give him that big hug, a bear hug type.
[00:18:18] And just to show the love that I wanted to show, I said, Lord, I can't. He said you can but I can just go. Let's go. Yeah. So I did, and this man stood up and gave him this big hug. You know, at that moment I felt, I really felt inside I'm hugging Jesus Christ himself. And that verse in the Bible came again.
[00:18:41] Whatever you have done unto the least of those you have done unto me. A result of this with love that was shown the whole family started coming to church. They're from non-Christian background. They came to church and started listening, and many of them are followers of Jesus today. What does it take?
[00:19:04] Literally denying ourselves sacrificing and going beyond. Go beyond is what we need to do to help them. And the results are great for the kingdom of God. Hmm.
[00:19:19] Jon Miller: That is such an amazing story in that you. I think many of us have been called by God in different ways to do something we don't actually want to do in the moment.
[00:19:30] And sometimes we can argue our way out of it or ignore our way out of doing it, but to hear how a hug and that was no simple hug ever. It was a tough hug to do. Right. And it, how, how it could change somebody's life. Um, stepping out like that and being uncomfortable for a few moments to show somebody that they are valuable and seen, uh, not hidden as you were mentioned is, is so powerful.
[00:20:01] Is there any other stories that you can think of of, oh yeah.
[00:20:05] Jamal Hashweh: Um, I once had, um, a lady came to our office and she was, um, Very paled. You know, she, the face looked more like a lemon, you know, it was so yellow and I said, what's wrong? She said, look, you know, uh, I have a problem with my, uh, gullbladder. And the doctor said, uh, that, uh, an immediate operation should take place otherwise, uh, you know, it could explode and then that could poison my whole body
[00:20:35] so it was an emergency case and we do a lot of help also on the medical side. So I called a friend of mine who, um, heads the hospital. I said, we need to help this lady right away. So we admitted her at that day and they had an emergency operation and was very successful, you know, for the gullbladder.
[00:20:57] Now her husband called us shortly after the operation to say, who are you? Why did you do that? You know, we are from a, you know, a different faith and you are, and this and that. And what, why do you care? And then I was able to tell him, He said, well, I I'd love to hear more. This is where the message comes to, you know, very strong when you prove that you mean what you say.
[00:21:23] It's not only by words, but the action. Um, and that touched them thoroughly as a family. I shortly after that, like a couple of weeks, she came to the office. I didn't recognize. I mean very healthy, you know, I'm back to normal and, and she said, tell her, tell us more. It was that time when we introduced her to a local church and they're both followers of Jesus.
[00:21:46] And, uh, it just took a little action of, uh, help to see people come to Christ. We literally have hundreds of these stories. Um, um, let me say something. It is not an easy thing to do. Let me tell you, it takes a calling. There is a lot of self-denial. There is also sacrifice of, uh, you know, uh, financially and all that, but all of these things, what do you put them?
[00:22:14] You know, at the feet of the cross, the Lord would provide the road. Help you, we give you the encouragement. Many of us actually, as with my stuff face, what I call, you know, the compassion, fatigue. And, uh, and that's very serious because once you go on help 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 families a day and listen to their stories at the end of the day, you are almost crushed from inside.
[00:22:42] And I say, Lord, help us, you know, just to continue to get the encouragement and you're gonna just coming and meeting all of you guys here. Uh, I see the love that the Lord really, uh, uh, you know, gives us through it, our relationship and, and your love and support, uh, to, to the program. Our resources are limited, and we're very thankful for many that are sacrificing and wanting to join us in order to see, you know, more help that will go to the people and your prayers.
[00:23:16] Definitely. More important than anything else to help us with. I just mentioned, you know, this compassion, fatigue in order to continue, uh, to do the work with joy and be able to go home and continue our lives every day. Otherwise it'll be extremely difficult.
[00:23:36] Jon Miller: What's the general situation for many of the refugees right now.
[00:23:39] Is it easy to get jobs for them or, or what, what are they, what do they need of like these people who 2 million people in the last 10 years who are in refugees and Jordan, um, what's their situation.
[00:23:53] Jamal Hashweh: Well, I mean, unfortunately it's going from bad to worse and COVID had a, a major, uh, you know, um, part of this, as many of them had little jobs.
[00:24:07] They're not allowed, uh, officially to have a job, but the government kind of overlook simple jobs for us. Members of the family know that, that they'll receive some income to help them with their simple life. Now, um, when COVID came, it literally blocked all of that. So for months, uh, everybody was like at home and things got, got pretty bad, uh, for them.
[00:24:33] So income wise, uh, that has dropped drastically, I would say today, probably the problem is 10 times more difficult than it was two years ago. Oh, wow. Yeah. And. Uh, I mean on daily basis, we have calls of somebody would tell us if we don't pay our electricity bill or something, they're going to cut the electricity.
[00:24:53] If we don't pay our rent by tomorrow, you know, we're kicked out from my house to go, where, where would they go? You know, of course we can solve all that problem, but at least those that come and at our doorsteps, as I say, We can do something about it. Situation is much more difficult now, which means we need to do more, to try to help as much as we can.
[00:25:18] Jon Miller: Hmm. How are you finding that? You're able to do that.
[00:25:23] Jamal Hashweh: Well, um, we're happy to have good staff and volunteers that are willing to go out and help and, uh, connecting with, uh, friends, churches, individuals, um, people that would love to. To help, the more, uh, the kind of the scope expands, the more elbow space that we have in order to help the need.
[00:25:50] So to be able to expand, we need help. Like I just shared this, uh, 1000 fans too. Two, two people. It's like $50 a fan. Okay. That's a nice project, but, uh, $50,000 would not come down with the rain you need to share with friends and people that care. And many people can afford to help with at least one fan at least.
[00:26:15] And, uh, if, if you have many, um, believers that would like to do something. And churches, I'm sure we can do that. We can do double that. And then that will be written in the books of heaven. I was probably hot. And you brought a fan to my house. Jesus would say that one day, you know, as, as an additional kind of sub, uh, line from what Jesus taught us in Matthew 25.
[00:26:44] Jon Miller: Yeah. You were. Also personally hit pretty hard with COVID yourself. Uh, can you tell us a little bit about that?
[00:26:51] Jamal Hashweh: Yeah, I mean, we try to be careful, but I can't be too careful because it just, we had the family get together and one of my children actually, and his work, um, just got it without him knowing and spread it to nine of us in the family.
[00:27:08] Cousins and, uh, uncle and his wife, myself, my wife too. And then, um, the rest of the family kind of went through it. It was pretty mild. Um, but, uh, the Lord chose to, uh, uh, you know, to have me go through, um, a much more difficult. So doctors actually came to one point in the intensive care unit, uh, to literally say that we have done all we can.
[00:27:33] And, uh, we're sorry, because, um, the morning. So actually come. Um, and, um, I know at that time I had so many praying for me and I discovered the love of my family and my, my big family, uh, that were praying. And I know the prayer, uh, did it, and I know when. The medicines had this, is it when the doctor said this is it.
[00:28:00] The King of Kings, uh, showed up and the darkest hour, uh, just before dawn of the morning where I was just to go home. Said I got some more for you here. So kind of send me back. And, uh, actually when this specialists, the doctors and nurses came in the morning to kind of see what they expected to see, saw me up and going with a smile.
[00:28:27] The Lord gave me, they said, we're stunned. The specialist told me, look, you know, for, for us, you are medically impossible to, to wake up even in the morning. Um, and uh, I said, what do you think? And he was not a Christian. He said, it must be God. That's what he said. Then I was able at that time to tell him with, with my voice, which was Saturday shattering that shattered at that time said, look, I believe in Jesus Christ.
[00:28:57] And I know that. Personally came and touched me while the darkest hours were there. When everybody gave up, he doesn't give up because he is the Lord of healing. And once, once he comes, he has the final word. And, um, so the Lord gave me life again. And what you know, that brought to my life. To be committed much more than ever before if 10 times more, a hundred times more.
[00:29:28] And, um, just to learn the lesson is, and this is very important. What, after the healing, when the Lord heals us, are we going to continue going up to live for him, or are we going to go back to our weak weaknesses and live a kind of lukewarm Christian life? Like in the story of Hezikiah and the Bible when he was given 15 years to live, he messed
[00:29:59] I messed it up. And one of his sons became one of the most evil, um, you know, Kings of that time. And he himself started living a loose life, showing even the enemies, everything he has. And then the prophet of God came and said, wow, you just messed it up. You know, God has healed you and you did not, you know, respect that.
[00:30:23] And you went back to your old ways. I really don't want to end my life that way. I want to end my life well, and this is a message for all those that love Jesus and want to serve him and your life. Well, You know, because it's so difficult with the world that we live in today is to be distracted or attracted to things that are of world values, that we don't want it.
[00:30:50] We want to have the kingdom values and live by it. And one day to see that big smile on the face of Jesus say, well done, my son and my daughter just come in and inherit. What was prepared from eternity for you. I want to hear that for me. If there is a goal in my life. Is that well done, my son and I prayed this would be for all of us.
[00:31:16] Jon Miller: That's amazing. And I think that's a very powerful note for us to end on and for people to think about. So thank you so much, being with us here on this podcast. And you've been traveling for weeks now, right? Uh, this is the end of the road for you, and then you're headed back home. Um, thank you for being one of the stops along the way so that we can hear your stories and hear some of the stories of what's going on in Jordan and, and with, uh, with your organization.
[00:31:42] Jamal Hashweh: And I want to thank you very much for having me today. And, uh, uh, just one thing to ask you to pray for us. As we continue to represent the kingdom of heaven in a place that's not the most, uh, you know, easy place, but, uh, we have challenges, but we know that the one who is with us is stronger than the one who is against us and best is yet to come for the glory of the name.
[00:32:08] That's above all names. Jesus Christ. Thank you very much.
[00:32:13] Jon Miller: Amen. Thank you everyone for tuning in with us at the Beyond The Line podcast, this, uh, whenever you're listening to this, uh, we record out of Central Christian Church in Arizona. You can check us out at centralaz.com anytime. And if you're in the Phoenix valley come visit any one of our campuses, but you can also check us out online.
[00:32:30] We have online services and you can find that all on centralaz.com. And, uh, until the next episode, I, we pray that you are loving beyond your lines. All right. Have a good one.