{ "id": 7247, "date": "2019-05-28T17:42:21", "date_gmt": "2019-05-28T15:42:21", "guid": { "rendered": "https:\/\/sboverseas.org\/?p=7247" }, "modified": "2019-05-28T17:42:21", "modified_gmt": "2019-05-28T15:42:21", "slug": "meet-ahmad", "status": "publish", "type": "post", "link": "https:\/\/sboverseas.org\/en\/meet-ahmad\/", "title": { "rendered": "Meet Ahmad" }, "content": { "rendered": "

Originally published on WorldWide Tribe<\/a> 17 May 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every\n morning of the working week I am greeted by sixteen exuberant five year\n olds, which is the best way to start the day. This is my Kindergarten \nclass, the youngest children in SB Overseas<\/a>\u2019 Bukra Ahla center. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They remind me every day how lucky I am, to be privileged enough to wake up to their unbridled joy and energy every morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also remind me how lucky I was \nas a child, privileged enough to be granted all of my rights from the \nday I was born. The right to education, the right to play, the right to \nsafety\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each of these children overflows with\n unconditional love, offered freely, willingly and without hesitation, \nand I in turn love each of them with my whole heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I want to talk about one boy in particular who has captured my imagination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is Ahmad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahmad is an actor. Never have I met a\n child so expressive, with such a natural ability to influence my \nemotions with the slightest tilt of his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When he is happy, his energy fills the room. When he is sad, one look in his eyes and my heart feels like it\u2019s breaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often I find him acting out imaginary\n characters to himself, spontaneously jumping up in rapturous dance, or \nimpersonating his favourite animals out of the blue, with mesmerising \nskill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He loves learning. When I walk into \nthe room he is the first to race to greet me, when I praise his work he \nsmiles for the rest of the class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is the child that doesn\u2019t ask for your attention, yet commands it effortlessly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My heart is in the palm of his tiny hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ahmad\u2019s\n family is from Homs; one of the cities most devastated by the ongoing \nwar in Syria. His mother Aisha; a woman of inimitable strength and \ndignity, tells me their life before the war was beautiful, all of their \nfamily lived in close proximity, they were together, they were happy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then the protests started, people \nwere arrested, fighting broke out, and every day the violence \nintensified. Ahmad\u2019s older brother grew terrified of every sound; a car \nbackfiring, a slammed door, bombs outside his bedroom window\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their lives were in severe danger \nevery moment, every day. Walking out of the house, there was no knowing \nwhether they would walk back in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so they made the heart wrenching \ndecision to leave. The family was pushed in different directions. \nAhmad\u2019s parents and older siblings fled to Beirut, where they found \ntheir only chance of a new home, and a new life, within Shatila refugee \ncamp. This is where Ahmad was born. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After\n struggling through so much trauma, it is inconceivable that upon \nfinally reaching \u2018safety\u2019 the challenges have only increased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life in Shatila is miserable, and \ndangerous. Drugs are rife, there are frequent shootings between rival \nmilitias who rule the camp. When fighting breaks out the family hide in \none room together, all they can do is wait, and pray. The walls are \nconcrete but the ceiling is thin and weak. Ahmad\u2019s brother is still \nterrified of every sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning to Syria is not an option. \nThe older brothers, still children themselves, would be  enlisted \nimmediately to the army. For Ahmad, it would only be a matter of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when morning comes, Ahmad packs his little backpack and comes to school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He\n loves school. He loves his friends. He keeps every worksheet and \neverything we make in class. Aisha bought him a folder which he keeps at\n home, with all of his work proudly filed away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One day Ahmad came to Bukra Ahla with\n a bag of the few toys he owns, and asked if he could give them out to \nhis class. Aisha tells me he refused to leave the house without them. He\n quietly gave one toy away to each of the children. He wanted nothing in\n return, no thank you, no praise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This child, living in severe poverty, willing to give away the little he has just to make his friends smile, is he not welcome?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has the purest heart and the most beautiful spirit. Yet he has no place in the world where he is safe, or welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because he is a Syrian refugee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

SB Overseas is fighting not only to \ngive children like Ahmad the education they deserve, but also a place \nwhere they can be truly loved, welcomed and wanted. Anything you are \nable to give will help this incredible organisation continue it\u2019s vital \nwork. Please donate. Thankyou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Give hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DONATE<\/a><\/p>", "protected": false }, "excerpt": { "rendered": "

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