CHABROUH, Lebanon (CNS) -- In a pristine mountain setting in Lebanon, a female volunteer gently takes hold of the hands of Mohammed, a disabled adult who has trouble communicating. She gazes into his eyes -- still shaded in heart-shaped sunglasses from the dress-up activity a few hours earlier -- as she engages him in a dance to the rhythm of the music playing in the background.

Smiling contentedly, Mohammed bows his head to kiss her hand, and she responds with a kiss on his forehead. "By showing acts of love, we are demonstrating that everyone is made in the image and likeness of God," Anton Depiro, a 30-year-old Catholic volunteer from London, told Catholic News Service during a recent camp for people with disabilities, run by the Order of Malta Lebanon.

As Depiro affectionately put his arm around Mohammed, he introduced his middle-aged guest like a proud brother, saying, "He's very shy and quiet." He told CNS they were "working together slowly and getting to know each other, and we're finding ways we can interact."

The issue of disability is still somewhat of a taboo in Lebanon, and families often experience shame when they have a child with a disability. Because the Lebanese government does not offer support for people with disabilities, many families resort to putting their family member into an institution, where there is little connection with the outside world.