12 April 2023 (Bir Wattaqwa Camp, Atmeh) – After a long day at the mobile clinic and giving out food boxes, tonight ATAA arranged for us to meet up with the Aitams (orphans) of war. This camp is established for single mothers whose husbands died during war in Syria, many of them fled the warzone to come to Atmeh, part of Syria which borders Turkiye and is considered a fairly safe zone.
There are huge settlements of IDPs in Atmeh. The condition is more stable then what we saw in Jindiyris, and children are able to go to school in a more organised manner.
Tonight, we decided to celebrate Ramadhan with the kids, make them happy as visitors came from abroad to see them and talk to them. We also organised a small “party” for them. Having stayed in Egypt many years ago, the arab culture is fairly familiar to me. They love to have small parties and sing songs making kids feel happy and appreciated. We distributed desserts, and the kids showed their talents by singing beatiful songs. They sang 3 songs, one was about Palestine, the other was about how they long to go back to their own hometown before the war, and they finished off with a song praising Rasulullah. one of the girls, Gazelle, wanted us to listen to her Quran recitation. She has a beautiful voice, masyaAllah.
They were so happy, and I enjoyed my time with them so much. They keep asking me to stay with them for a night or two, to which I told them we had a whole tentative ahead of us.
I showed the boys pictures of my sons. earlier this morning I was telling my son through whatsapp about the Syrian boys, and how they were learning the Quran by heart despite the difficulties they faced in camps and what not. He sent his salam to them which I conveyed and the Syrian boys were so happy to hear it. We talked about footballl, Benzema, Musolah, Messi and Ronaldo. And I said that Neymar’s always having pain at his leg and they laughed😂😂.
We truly appreciate ATAA’s organised well planned small party for the orphans. May Allah reward all of us and especially in the last 10 nights of Ramadhan. Rasulullah had mentioned that he and those who take care of the orphans are like two fingers put together in Heaven. Hopefully we get a little of that benefit if not all with whatever we did tonight with them.
When I decided to come to Syria, one of the things I knew I wanted to do was to meet and talk to the children, to make them feel very much appreciated by someone they have never known in their life to uplift their esteem. But being here I know that it was my esteem which they had managed to uplift rather then the other way round. They showed me their Resilience and grit in the midst of all the rubbles.
I end my night with my usual prayers.. Ruhmaka Ruhmaka Liummati Nabiyyika Y Rahman..
By Dr Fatimah Zaharah Rosli
