By: Lydia Zakka
In a world where success is often measured by material wealth, many families are blinded by the gleam of quick riches, not realizing the hidden cost that comes with it. Some parents, especially mothers, celebrate their children’s sudden prosperity, unknowingly cheering on the fruits of deception, fraud, and exploitation.
To the outside world, it appears like nothing more than a simple online game—a virtual realm where one spins and wins, advancing toward renovating a family house, buying a commercial bus for their father, or even opening a shop for their mother. These seemingly innocent tasks are seen as signs of success. But beneath the surface, the reality is far darker.
Behind every victory in the game, a tragic truth is being buried. The wealth that the son of these proud parents enjoys does not come from honest work or luck; it is derived from the suffering of others. For many who indulge in such online schemes, money is earned by preying on the vulnerable—innocent people who, in their desperation for financial success, are lured into giving away their hard-earned savings. Some of these victims fall into despair, even taking their own lives. Their dreams are shattered while the perpetrators grow richer.
Yet, for the parents watching this unfold, there is often no cause for alarm. In fact, they offer support—seeking spiritual protection, believing that their child is simply blessed and that their prayers are being answered. They turn to one spiritual house after another, asking for divine guidance and fortification, never once questioning the source of their son’s sudden wealth. The success of their child is celebrated, not out of understanding but out of a deep, unshakable belief that this prosperity is a sign of divine favor.
But what exactly are these parents praying for? The question must be asked. Are they praying for their child to continue to prosper in fraud? Are they celebrating a life built on the broken dreams and stolen hope of others? In their zeal to protect their son and ensure his success, they unknowingly support the very acts that destroy lives. The house he builds, the commercial bus he buys, and the shop he opens—each of these represents not just his success but the silent suffering of countless victims who have lost everything.
This is a painful truth that few want to acknowledge. The reality is that behind the flashing lights of material success, there lies a trail of broken souls, crying in silence. The system of deception that enriches one person only continues because of the ignorance—or in some cases, the willful blindness—of those who should know better. When a parent is too willing to protect their child at any cost, they might inadvertently shield a thief, a fraudster, and a destroyer of lives.
The question, therefore, becomes not just one of moral accountability for those who commit fraud, but also for those who inadvertently enable it. It is time we started to look beyond the facade of success and prosperity and began to ask the harder questions: What is the cost of this wealth? Who is suffering in silence while we celebrate our blessings? And most importantly, are we willing to face the truth that our prayers might be inadvertently fortifying the very fraud that is destroying lives?
This tragedy is not just one for the victims but for the entire society. It is a call to parents, to communities, and to the broader world to stop and think. It is time to stop celebrating the fruits of deception and start protecting the innocent from the destruction of dishonest wealth. Only then can we begin to build a society in where true success is measured by integrity, not by the shattered lives left in the wake of fraud.