Some families are born together, and others come together across vast differences. For Jad Ghoussaini (YES 2013 – 2014, Lebanon, hosted by AYA in Florence, SC) and his hosts Dr. Rev. Lisa B Culpepper and Dr. David Culpepper, the YES program helped bridge that gap.

When they took Jad into their home in 2013, the Culpeppers had only hosted one exchange student previously. They explain, “When we hosted Jad, we had had an ‘empty nest’ for six years. We wanted to host a Lebanese student since my ethnic heritage is Lebanese. In addition, we felt we had been blessed and wanted to share those blessings with a Lebanese student.”

It was a new experience for them, and for Jad as well. For him, the hardest part was “coming from a different background, where I was supposed to take care of my studies only, rather than taking on some responsibilities.”  

Thanks to the Culpeppers’ kindness and Jad’s enthusiasm for their new friendship, the three soon came to love one another. Jad says, “As soon as I got there, they became more than just a host family. They treated me as if I were their own, respected what I said, my opinion. I truly loved how honest and faithful their treatment was.”

According to his host parents, “Jad brought energy and love into our home.  He was mature in many ways, yet also lots of fun.  He made us laugh and was rarely in a bad mood.  Coming from a household with a large extended family, Jad adjusted easily to living in a household with 2 parents only and a dog.”

The love inside the host home helped Jad to discover that he also loved his community in Florence. “With the Southern hospitality, I was surrounded with, it felt like home,” Jad explains. “People over there were very sweet and I had them right beside me when I needed help.”  

It was a two way street for the community in Florence. “Everyone who met Jad loved him,” reflect the Culpeppers. “He was kind, genuine and engaging and ‘never met a stranger’.”

In the years since he left Florence, Jad is often nostalgic for his host American community. “I still dream about walking in the hall ways of South Florence High, talking to my guidance counselor about life, and reminiscing the good old days when I had time to emotionally be connected to such people of the place that is indeed full of smiling faces and beautiful places.”

Luckily for Jad, the Culpeppers have brought a piece of his old American life straight to him in Lebanon. They visited Lebanon several times on mission trips, and were able to spend two weekends with Jad and his natural family.

For Jad, the visits were an honor. “They always bring joy and happiness to our family, every time they came I felt more attached to them and this feeling a child gets upon seeing his real parents, whenever they leave for a certain period of time, I felt it every time they came and I saw their faces and generosity, modesty and faithfulness.”

The Culpeppers feel similarly about their “Lebanese son.” They remark, “When we met the Ghoussainis, we realized how Jad came to be such a fine young man.  His parents were genuinely loving and generous people.  His grandparents were also welcoming and engaging. After a short time, we felt as if we were one family with them.  We miss them and would love for his family to visit us in the USA when possible.”

Thanks to their exchange experience, Jad and his host parents have a truly remarkable bond that has extended to their entire families. That bond carries on, as the Culpeppers explain, “We continue to love him and have come to love his family as well.  They are all genuinely kind and welcoming.  Jad and his family are always welcomed in our home and we will look forward to being a part of his life for many years to come.”