Shaima's Story: “I was a stranger…”
This week, as we journey with the those who are forced to flee their homes, we take you to a dusty road in the countryside of Syria...
Your name is Shaima and you are 12 years old. The afternoon sun beats down on you, making your head fuzzy from the heat. Out here, there is no protection from the sweltering sun. You know the only thing to do is keep walking; returning home isn’t a possibility. Your home in Syria used to be a place of community and joy, where you played with your friends. In your town everyone supported each other and it felt safe, until missiles and bombs began raining from the sky. The whistling sound as they fell set panic in your chest. Houses in your town were destroyed, friends were hurt and it was no longer safe to play outside.
Your family tried to live as normally as possible. You and your sister still went to school, but then an explosion happened at the school and you could no longer attend. Many of your neighbours left, heading to Jordan in search of safety and a better life. Your family stayed longer but as life in your town became more and more dangerous, your family finally decided to follow the others. You packed the few things you could carry with you: some clothes, your favourite book, a handful of photographs.
Now you’re here, on the harsh, 72-kilometre journey from Syria to Jordan. Often walking through areas that are not safe, your family starts early in the morning and walks all day. The morning is not so bad, but by now, it’s afternoon and you’re under the scorching sun. Your family brought what water they could, but everyone still feels dehydrated. Especially your sister, who has become weaker along the way. From the extreme heat and lack of water, she suffers from sunstroke. Without any help out here in the desert, your sister passes away.
Your family struggles to keep going, but somehow, you find the strength to continue. You finally make it to Jordan where your family settles at a refugee camp. You’ve made it to safety - there are no bombs and explosions, but with the loss of your sister, your family has been torn apart and overcome with grief.
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Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:12-14
Jesus invites those who are heavy with burdens and well-acquainted with grief to his banquet and asks us to do likewise. Let’s see how God comforts and welcomes Shaima and her family in the midst of deep sorrow.
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At first you are scared of meeting new people in a strange, new place. You feel shy and are unsure if life will ever be the same as it was before. But you don’t have to go far to find friends. Families around you have fled the same conflict that you did, and your new neighbours start to visit your family, making you feel welcomed and comforted in this time of hardship. It has been hard to talk with your mother about your sister’s death, but slowly, with the support of each other and those around you, your family is beginning to heal.
Soon, you start attending the nearby school. You’ve missed being in class and are excited to be learning again. You study hard, hoping to become a doctor so that one day you can care for other children suffering from conflict, like you and your sister did.
The school becomes a great place to grow your mind and meet other children like you. Being the new student is challenging at first, but you quickly build friendships with others in your class. Your new friends invite you to join them at an after school programme, so every afternoon, as soon as your homework is finished, you run off to meet them at the football pitch. It is here on the pitch, kicking the ball around and having fun with your friends, that you really feel yourself coming alive again. In this place as you and your family rebuild a new community, you are starting to feel comfortable and safe again.
You’re not sure what the future holds, but playing football and learning new things in school has given you hope that a brighter future is possible.