Nada Jabbour Hatem, Author, Poet
In late 1977, Nada Jabbour Hatem (HAT-EM), found herself, her husband, and two small children preparing to leave her homeland, Lebanon for America, due to the raging civil war that had been ongoing for two years. At first, she and her husband resisted leaving, but one evening when they returned home from a weekend at Nada’s parents and found a bullet lodged in her two-year old daughter’s pillow, the decision to leave Lebanon was already made! A few weeks later, Nada and her family made their home in Northern Virginia—a Washington, DC suburb.
Nada was born, raised, and educated in Lebanon—and later in the United States. She grew up in a traditional, nominal Christian home, but early in life at the age of eleven, she surrendered her life to Christ, and became an active member in the only Baptist church in her village. Before then, while studying at a private school, she was the leading actress in most of the plays performed there, and her acting talent began to be noticed. She later would use this talent to perform in other Christian plays performed at her church and other venues; moreover, she wrote her first Christian play and presented it at the church.
Nostalgia for her homeland imploded Nada’s talents to write her first poem in which she asks forgiveness from the village, home, and family she deserted. Her second poem was a mix of politics and patriotism where she poured her soul crying over her war-torn homeland (mentioned 66 times in the Bible) and blaming the evil rulers for ruining the land of the Cedars of Lebanon.
With the bloom of the first flower of spring of 1978 in the United States—while her children happily and safely played outdoors with other children—hundreds of Lebanese children there lost their lives. Nada realized there was much more than a devastated country and a deserted home about which to write. She knew there is only one who deserved all praise and glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, who spared her life & her family members, met their needs, and has faithfully walked with them since setting foot on American soil. From that moment on, Nada made a commitment to God that she would only write for HIM.
She kept her promise; and since, Nada has penned more than 600 poems, all praising and honoring Jesus Christ, available to all readers and viewers on most of the Arabic Christians TV as well as Facebook and You Tube, and other social media. She wrote numerous plays and skits; performed at Bible conferences before thousands over a period of twenty years; and wrote a large number of Christian articles and daily devotions that were published in various Christian magazines. One of her most acclaimed plays was an Easter play performed at an Arabic church in Washington, DC, that brought tears to those who watched it. In this play, Nada had the leading role of Mary Magdalene.
Nada’s dream was realized when her first Arabic Novel, translated—The One I love–was published in 2005. She quickly learned this 400-page Christian novel was a great blessing to whoever read it, as many have called to tell her their testimonies, in addition to a great number of people who came to know Christ as their savior after reading the novel. Proceeds from this book was allocated to help refugies and poor people in the Middle East among other ministries.
Nada is multi-talented, trilingual woman, fluent in Arabic, English, and French; she taught the latter at a Baptist school while still in Lebanon. Her knowledge of Arabic opened up doors for her to work for an American firm contracted by an Arab country to computerize its Ministry of Interior. Between work and raising her children, she found time to study computer science and move to better and more fulfilling jobs; she worked for 25 years at National Wildlife Federation in the IT department.
Nada excelled in the work environment, receiving many awards in the process, but probably the best award she received was the publishing of her first Christian romance novel cited above. Most of those who already read it suggested to her that this novel be translated into English, so that their children who were born and raised in America, can also read it and be blessed by it as they were. Nada’s husband took on the task of translation, and the novel is now published carrying the title: Whom My Soul Loveth.
Nada’s children are now happily married–with beautiful children of their own–and serve the Lord in their own capacity. She herself continues to be actively involved in writing. Her works are now heard and seen on radio and on Christian television programming, as well as Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube.
