Working despite bombs

Beirut, the capital of peace, love, and civilization, has been relentlessly bombed every day for the past month. Without diving too deeply into politics or the reasons behind this, the harsh reality is clear: we are here today, and we are being bombed.

Allow me a moment to speak from the heart;

Do NOT underestimate the resilience we, as Lebanese people, possess. Let’s rephrase the term “working under pressure” to “surviving war.”

Not a single household today is untouched by this tragedy. Every home has become a refuge, sheltering families from across Lebanon—displaced and struggling. Each house stretches its limits, offering as much as it can, while everyone endures these difficult times.

Let me share a glimpse of what work looks like amidst this chaos through my own experience.

I’ve claimed the corner next to the entrance as an office. Interviews are conducted on the balcony, all while living with the constant dread of a notification that my home in the Bekaa Valley has been bombed. I stare at my laptop with an empty mind, not knowing what to think of and who to check on, then a wake up notification from my colleagues gets me back on track.

Nights pass without sleep, not because we don’t want to rest, but because the silence is pierced by explosions, and the tension in the air weighs too heavy for peace. In the house, we bump into one another, literally and emotionally, feeling cramped and on edge, our nerves frayed. Controlling our temper is a daily challenge, as every knock, every unexpected sound, sets our hearts racing. The washing machine of our neighbors, the slamming doors of the building, even the motorcycle outside make us rush to our phones to check if it was a bomb. Our TVs are set to some local channels streaming live what is happening behind our doors.

First thing we do in the morning is check on our loved ones and friends; “fi shi hadkon? Nemto l layle? Aribe aleykon? Fi darb?”

But through it all, we do our best to keep working. Why? Because there are people depending on us. As a recruitment and consultancy agency, people are looking for our help. These times more than ever, we have to maintain our duty towards people who are looking for jobs, roles, and opportunities to sustain themselves and their families, trying to keep up with life’s demands even in these impossible times. 

We’re tired, exhausted in ways words can’t fully express, but still, we launch our work. And yes! Productivity will not be just as it was before the start of the war but bear in mind that we are doing our best to keep our eyes off the news.

Beirut has stood tall seven times before, and this time will be no different. We will rise once more, not because it’s easy or because we are fearless, but because it’s who we are. How and when, are questions we cannot answer. But we hold on to the certainty that we will.

To my dear Lebanon, as generations pass through, I hereby promise you to carry within us a generation that only looks forward to success, growth, peace and prosperity. The generations of war are forever left behind us and we will only do our best to serve our country its worth.

We will go back to our villages, pick up the pieces of our ruined homes or what was left of it and rebuild houses from ashes.

Our faith in this land, in each other, is our light. We carry hope not just for survival, but for rebirth. 

Beirut will rise again. Lebanon will rise again.