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The unexpected thing one Syrian refugee did for Germany that will melt your heart

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'We want to be a positive part in the German community. Want to be one hand (Syrian and German citizens) to help the others and help each other.'

Amid fears of ISIS infiltration and Muslim takeovers, one Syrian refugee took a stand against prejudiced tensions and thanked the city of Berlin on behalf of all refugees.

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LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Each Saturday, Alex Assali cooks and distributes food to Berlin's homeless outside Berlin's Alexanderplatz station.

News of Assali's kindness spread after someone posted a picture of him at his cooking stand with signs reading "Give Something Back to German People." The image, found on Imgur, has received over 2,865,908 views in the two days since it's original posting.

One Imgur user commented that this is what "humanity should look like" while another wrote, "One of those beautiful gestures that outweighs its tangible significance in the physical world & means so much more on a human level. Bravo."

Another sign on Assali's stand describes that he is part of a Syrian Christian project focused on helping the homeless and needy in Germany. 

The sign reads:

"Our target is to give something back to the people who helped us. We are not consumer people but we are people who love tender. We want to be a positive part in the German community. Want to be one hand (Syrian and German citizens) to help the others and help each other."

Thousands have taken to Twitter in response to the image of Assali and his stand. One user wrote "Those who have nothing know what it's like, so they are the first to give" and another posted the image was "joyfully heartbreaking."

Thousands were against the idea of accepting Syrian refugees for fear of also accepting Muslim extremists, but one user responded to Assali and wrote "A Syrian refugee offering food for homeless Germans - I hope this photo shuts a lot of people up."

The photographer, Tabea Bü, is Assali's friend and wrote on Facebook that they were both "really Overwhelmed by this Feedback" and that they received "Messages from people all over the world. We both never imagined what this little Post could do, but we are happy that we did bring a little light into the world! #thankseverybody #thanksalex !"

She added that Assali "lost everything" and was forced to "leave his family back in Syria because wanted to kill him," but "Even though he doesn't have a lot, he goes on the street and distributes food to the homeless." He came to Europe with nothing and was able to settle in Germany.

Bü said, "His motto is: 'Give something back to the German people.' God bless him, he is a blessing for so many more."

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Deacon Keith Fournier Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >

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