Soul-Searching Ziad
An architect’s journey with work, non-profit, family, and faith
It took a few weeks before we started talking. Ziad would sit on one end, and I would be on the other. Whoever shows up earlier on a given morning takes dibs. I’m unsure how we started; I like where we are today. Some souls come in and embrace you. Some stay; some dwindle, leaving smiles behind.
At school and uni
Ziad’s been through two schools (SSCC and NDJ) and one university (USEK) and wasn’t a star student. He’s eccentric, very selective, with a frail memory.
“I still remember my mother crying out of frustration as she attempted to help me study. Especially in memorization. I’m not good with names.”
He excels at spatial geometry and would spend hours solving exercises. He ended up ace'ing his exams. Maybe it’s in his genes, as his father was a math educator. As a kid artist, he loved sketching and drawing, especially portraits of older people. Dictation was not his forte. He would strike a zero grade by the third line of any text. At uni, he would fail or get a perfect score on his architecture projects. You can say he has issues with authority and does not like to be judged. The education system did not understand and failed him. He excelled despite the system.
“Every person has a mission in life and will be good at something. Parents and people will pull you towards places you don’t want to go to.”
Sometimes, skipping class can teach you more than attending. He fondly remembers his university rector, Fr Joseph Moaness. When they would skip class, Fr. Joseph would show up and sit with them on the main stairs. He would talk and encourage them to use the time to get to know each other better and to build relationships. He inspired them to build mutual understanding and trust.
The architect and the businessman
Faculty of musicology. School of music. Opera house.
He never worked for anyone. He currently runs a successful business designing and developing properties. Given the current situation in Lebanon, he’s venturing into a parallel operation in Europe.
“It’s never too late. Everything I’ve done so far gives me enough ammo to travel. I will be going back and forth for extended periods.”
Part of him is in a non-profit
Playroom at a public hospital
With family and friends, he launched an initiative that grew into a non-profit Min Albi (In Arabic: From my heart). Among the many things they’ve done for the past two decades is securing food boxes for 100 families every month. They also go into run-down facilities and build happy spaces for kids and the elderly.
He believes that we are all born with God-given gifts, and we are responsible for using them. You can give time, money, or talent. “Part of me is there,” he says. For example, not everyone can spend time with or know how to care for the elderly or children. Still, one can contribute in other ways.
If there is something good you can do, you have to do it. Sometimes, a gentle word or a smile can make a big difference in someone’s life. They need to feel that they are as valuable as you. Even if you have no energy, sometimes spending 15 mins with someone can make a big difference.
Father and faith
“A turning point in my life when my dad passed away abruptly. It’s been 10 years. The way I look at life has changed. Some people step away from their faith. I got closer.”
He feels his father with him in everything he does. “He was my father and my friend,” he says. He was a loving, calm, joyful, friendly, and always smiling teacher. When Ziad gets in a tight place, he talks to him. He would intentionally do things that would make his father happy. “Hey! Is it to your liking?” he occasionally asks. His dad’s passing got him into a joyful journey of self-discovery.
He started questioning everything, including the meaning of life. There should be a next; otherwise, his faith is all for nothing. His pilgrimage to Our Lady of Medjugorje enriched his soul. He’s taking lessons on Bible reading. He believes in the goodness of people and respecting them. He thinks all saints were continually searching for God Saint Charbel and Padre Pio did not give up, despite their hard life. The more he questioned, the more things got stirred up. He will not believe it just because they told him so. He struggles with free will, destiny, and God’s plan.
“My earthly father was dedicated and would have done anything for his two sons. God tells me that He loves me even more. I love God.”
Since we carry God’s love in us, we are responsible for spreading it. He looks away for a second, smiles, and promises to have all the remaining questions with him the day he meets his Creator.
Family and settling down
“Do you plan to form your own immediate family?” I ask. For him, the family is sacred and needs a lot of energy. He won’t start his own until he is ready and finds the one: The mother of his children and his partner in life. And no, there is no right age to get married.
For now, his family is the extended one, including his mother, his brother’s family, and others. He would do anything and everything for them.
This interesting coffee-sipping, book-reading character is a hard worker dedicated to his profession, to social good, to seeking God, the face of Jesus, and to enjoying the company of talented, intelligent, and beautiful women. Still waiting to see him with one. Rough life!
His latest readings:
How They Started: Global Brands Edition,
Mère Téresa’s Fraternité Universelle,
A Gentle Thunder: Hearing God Through the Storm,
And the New Testament, of course.
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Starbucks drink: Tall black. One scone nuked for 20 secs dipped in coffee.
