The Basics

Title: Once We Were Strangers: What Friendship with a Syrian Refugee Taught Me about Loving My Neighbor by Shawn Smucker

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

From the Back Cover: In 2012, Mohammad fled his Syrian village along with his wife and four sons, escaping to Jordan through the wilderness. Four years later he sat across from Shawn Smucker in a small conference room in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Though neither of them knew it, Mohammad had arrived in Shawn’s life just in time.

This is the story of a friendship. It is the story of a middle-aged writer struggling to make a living and a Syrian refugee struggling to create a life for his family in a strange and sometimes hostile land. It’s the story of two fathers hoping for the best, two hearts seeking compassion, two lives changed forever. It’s the story of our moment in history and the opportunities it gives us to show love and hospitality to the sojourner in our midst.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book – honestly, more than I thought I would! Once We Were Strangers is an authentic, vulnerable story about friendship: the sacrifice it requires, as well as the meaning it brings to our lives. It’s a beautifully written account of two strangers learning what it means to be friends and neighbors.

There were so many things that could have kept Shawn and Mohammad from ever becoming friends – cultural differences, language barriers, different religious backgrounds – but they chose not to remain strangers. This book reminds us that, even though it’s hard, loving our neighbors is worth it. That is a timely message that we all need to hear.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you, Revell!