In the quiet village of Al Dawadia lived Rania—a devoted wife and loving mother of three. Her husband worked tirelessly to provide for the family, and from the outside, her life seemed calm and ordinary. But inside, Rania’s heart knew no rest. She suffered from irritable bowel syndrome and gallbladder pain that grew worse with time. Yet, her deepest wounds were not in her body but in her soul. Rania carried a heavy burden of unforgiveness. She remembered every insult, every betrayal, every moment of disappointment. She could not—and would not—forgive. “I cannot forgive, and I do not want to forgive,” she would say.

One day, almost without knowing why, she found herself attending a small gathering in the village hall. The Transformational Community Development (TCD) meeting she happened upon was focusing on truth and personal development. She sat quietly in the corner, not expecting much. Then the speaker’s words broke through her defenses. “Forgiveness is not for those who deserve it. When you forgive, you set your own heart free, not theirs.”

It was as if those words were a key, unlocking a long-closed door in Rania’s heart. Tears streamed down her face as the walls she had built began to crumble. From that day forward, her journey of change began. It was not easy—there were tears, hesitation, and moments of resistance. But she began writing the names of those who had hurt her, thinking about each one, and choosing to forgive.

Something unexpected happened. Her body began to heal. The pain in her colon eased. Her gallbladder no longer throbbed as before. At her next appointment, the doctor looked at her in astonishment. “Your health has improved so much…it’s as if something inside you has changed.” Rania looked toward the sky and whispered with a trembling smile, “Yes, I have been healed when I chose to forgive.”

Thank you,

Written by Fady, GHNI TCD Worker