Answer to a Bullied Teen’s Prayer

Mourad had a difficult decision to make about school.

School can be full of pressure for any teen, but for Mourad[i], a boy in Jordan, his mother’s job made it even harder.

Mourad’s mother was the principal of the school he attended.

Far from bringing him special privileges, this made Mourad the target of resentment from some of his teachers.

They gave him undeserved zeros on tests and told him he was stupid — that he was a zero.

When Mourad’s mother was offered a principal job at another school, a OneChild Hope Center, it seemed like a miracle.

But teenaged Mourad was faced with an adult-sized dilemma.

Should he stay at his current school next year in hopes that things might get better, or should he transfer to his mother’s new school and risk an even worse situation there?

Change schools or stay?

An Unexpected Answer

Mourad was praying for direction and wrestling with the heavy choice when he went to summer camp. He was so consumed with worry that he couldn’t focus on the morning lesson at the camp.

Then the woman sharing the lesson said, “I changed schools the year I started 10th grade.”

Mourad was suddenly alert. He felt sure that God was speaking to him in that moment and answering his prayers for direction.

When Mourad returned from camp, he knew what he would do. He transferred to the school where his mother was the new principal.

Switching to a school in a Hope Center gave Mourad and his family new hope.

It was a scary decision, but Mourad kept reminding himself of the camp and that God had directed him to the new school.

Even so, he couldn’t help feeling nervous when it was time for his first test.

A Test of Courage

In an act that took great courage for a young boy, Mourad told his new teachers about his experience at the old school — the zeros and the taunting.

They encouraged him to just do his best.

Not only did he pass the test, but he got a very high score.

That was a turning point in Mourad’s heart.

Now he’s filled with hope for his future and believes he can one day get a good job.

Hope for the Entire Family

The new Hope Center has not only changed things for Mourad, but it has also brought a new sense of hope to the entire family.

They say they all feel much happier and lighter now.

“God works in our life — thanks to the wonderful work you did to us,” Mourad tells his Child Champions.

“After we had the bad days, God changed everything for us,” his mother adds. “God works in our life in a perfect way.”

[i] Named changed for child privacy.

Help OneChild go further into the hard places, open more Hope Centers, and do whatever it takes to reach more kids by giving to the Partners Fund today!