A Story of 9/11 by a Friend from Libya

I did not write today’s piece. It was given to me by a friend from Libya. The opinions are his, unfiltered, and not (necessarily) my own. Here is an insight into both the world outside of the United States and what God is doing in the world:

As 9/11 this year coincides with the Great Islamic Feast and is followed by the Orthodox Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross I wanted to share one of the most impactful events in my life that  through 9/11 led me from Islam to the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I had just turned 14 years old over the summer enjoying my last days of summer vacation before going back to school and beginning my O Levels. On that day my parents were out of town for a funeral of a distant relative. My mother’s sister was babysitting. My 11 year old brother was sick with the flu and my 2 year old baby brother was playing in his room. My aunt was in the kitchen making chicken soup. Our house was big, on the Mediterranean coast of Tripoli, and each of us had his own section of the house to themselves. It was a sunny afternoon but I chose to watch a Jean-Claude Van Damme movie on Abu Dhabi TV instead before I headed out in the evening for Tennis practice at the Club down the street.

During the movie the station put a small side screen showing the North Tower with smoke coming out of it. I recognized the World Trade Center from the movie Home Alone 2 where Kevin is at the top of the Tower looking over the city in his adventure in New York with the song “All Alone on Christmas” playing in the background.

I quickly switched channels to CNN International. A plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I was very surprised. My Father is a pilot and I spent a lot of time around aeroplanes. This must have been a big plane. And I asked myself, how can a pilot not even try to miss this really big building, but instead smash straight into it. I ran to my aunt in the kitchen and told her the news. She said with a sad tone, “Oh those poor people.” But I was feeling excited and wanted to know more about what was happening and ran back to the TV.

Then as the reporters were talking, I see the second tower get hit by a plane. I jumped up and ran back to my Aunt, “The second tower got hit!” and ran again back to the TV.

Things were getting interesting! There were reports of other planes and then the Pentagon was hit! And I knew it, America was under attack. Yes! The Pentagon definitely deserves to be blown up!

Finally, America is getting a taste of its own medicine. They attacked us in 1986, killing innocent civilians in Tripoli plus all the arabs that have died from American bombs and missiles over my lifetime. I went to my Aunt excitedly and told her America is under attack, someone is finally getting back at them.

The reports of a 4th plane coming in and I started guessing where would the 4th plane hit, what would be the strongest blow? The White House? Capitol Hill? I wanted my parents to be around, I wanted to see their reaction!

Then the towers fell, Al-Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden were held responsible. Who is Osama Bin Laden? People in Gaza were celebrating in the streets!

But then the detailed footage started coming in, of people jumping out of the buildings, the towers falling into the streets, people running and screaming for their lives. President Bush speaking from a bunker with fuzzy signal. It suddenly struck me. America is going to go to war. And the world will never be the same again, and neither would be mine.

That day was a turning point in my life (more than I realized at the time). In my naive, ignorant and childish thinking I rejoiced when the attacks happened. But after it all sunk in, I knew my world had changed. That day was a turning point in history. And Since 9/11 my curiosity to seek truth and understand what goes on in this world of ours began. Since 9/11, not one day had passed without me checking the news. Since 9/11, I went from a Libyan kid happy to see revenge being taken on my people’s enemy to coming to this said country in refuge from my people. I now stand in America, praying for the lives of souls lost that day. And I am now estranged and hated by my 14 year old self.

9/11 was the first paradigm shift of my journey that shook the foundations of my soul. There would be in the future two more shifts to complete the work of destroying the barriers that separated me from Christ Jesus. I confess my sins as a child to all here and pray for forgiveness for the hate that I carried. And I thank God who humbles the proud. He is indeed an awesome God, who wishes every soul to be healed. And nothing is impossible.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of God have mercy on us.