Chris Mansour knows what it means to depend on the kindness of strangers.
He arrived in Australia in 2006 after fleeing war in Lebanon and was forced to leave his home at a moment’s notice.
“We left absolutely nothing, not even a wallet and not even ten dollars in our wallet. We had nothing,” he told SBS Arabic.
Mansour said his experience from 20 years ago still motivates him.
During catastrophic bushfires that displaced communities in Victoria earlier in January, the Melbourne baker opened the doors of his business to evacuees and SES volunteers seeking food and shelter.
For Mansour, it wasn’t about charity, it was about payback.
“I owe a lot of gratitude to Australia because in 2006 I was in the same position as the people evacuating the fires now,” said the owner of OneWay Lebanese Bakery.
“I know what it’s like to have nothing. I know what it’s like to leave everything you’ve had behind.”
From refuge to responsibility
When Australian authorities evacuated Mansour and his family from Lebanon, he said they were given shelter and care.
“They gave us shelter. They gave us food. They gave us drinks. They gave us everything we needed at that moment,” he said.
“I’ll never forget that feeling of comfort knowing someone really cares.”
When fires swept across Victoria this month – burning more than 400,000 hectares, destroying hundreds of structures and killing a rancher – that memory shaped his response.
At their peak around January 9 and 10, several major fires burned simultaneously, with more than 100 separate fire-affected areas recorded. Some fires, including the Longwood and Walwa fires, extended over 100,000 hectares.
“In some parts of the state we exceeded the threshold we saw on Black Saturday,” Country Fire Authority chief officer Jason Heffernan told Guardian Australia on Thursday, referring to the devastating 2009 bushfires in Victoria that left 173 dead.
“Knowing what we were dealing with, I’m surprised we didn’t see more devastation in communities.”
As strong winds spread the flames, Mansour posted a simple message on social media, offering food and shelter in his bakery to anyone who needed it.
“To everyone affected by the fires in Melbourne: Oneway Lebanese Bakery is open as a safe shelter for up to 50 people,” he wrote to Facebook on January 9.
“Free food. Free drinks. Phone charging. A cool space to wait.”
‘Someone cares’
The response, he said, was immediate and intense.
“It was extremely overwhelming. I didn’t expect any of this to happen,” he said, recalling more than 2.2 million views, emails, phone calls, messages and Google reviews.
“I just put it out there hoping it will reach someone who needs it.”
His phone rang constantly. Messages poured in from across the state, including from people in fire-affected areas who never made it to the bakery but wanted to reach out.
“I think it gave them that feeling that I wanted to pass them on. Even without them coming to the store, they felt like someone cared about them.”
Mansour said the initiative also sends a broader message at a time when public debate on migration is often polarized.
“The bad message always spreads faster than the good message,” he said.
“You don’t see all the good things the migrants do.”
According to him, his relationship with Australia is very personal.
“Australia is the mother who raised me but did not give birth to me,” he said.
“I am forever grateful to this country. I don’t think anything I do will be enough to repay what this beautiful country has given me.”
For those still displaced or facing an uncertain return home, his message is one he himself once needed.
“I know what you’re going through is very difficult,” he said.
“All you need to know is that things will get better, and they always do. There are people who care about you and everything will be okay.”
— This story was created in collaboration with SBS Arabic.
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