Dear Friends,

Today is the anniversary of the liberation of Baghdad; even though it does not feel very liberated now days. I am at the moment writing a book about the Children here. Today I was given a paper written by one of our children for my book. It is by Fulla- she is one of our 14 year olds and I love her so much. I meet with a lot of the children every Wednesday at the Al Rasheed. Read what she wrote- it is very different from anything else you will read. This is through the eyes of a little girl.

Blessings
Andrew

WHEN I WAS nine years of age, I stopped going to primary school, we lived in a run-down neighborhood of Baghdad. My family consisting of six members, two sisters and one brother and my parents. I would hear a lot of talk about a coming war with United States of America and other countries who would attack Iraq. All that I knew about this war was that it was something really, horribly, scary and that if it happened we would leave Baghdad.

I used to hear stories from my school Mates about their dearly beloved ones whom they lost or got maimed in former wars which our homeland went through the count down progressed , and on the 8/9th of April on 2003 we woke up to a terrifying cacophony of explosions and terrible sounds, which I had never heard before. My parents tried to keep us peaceable and quiet, thought I could quite clearly see terror and confusion in their eyes and actions. The next day we left for Mosul, to live temporarily with relatives, because they said that other provinces were not targeted as was Baghdad.

In those trying times, we shared bread and water, until the war was over, and we heard on the radio, that the regime had been toppled and they said that the situation had undergone a complete change, and that there will be no more dictatorship. They said that there would be a new situation where poor people will be able to eat and drink well, and justice will be achieved.

Meanwhile, we had decided to return to Baghdad, no sooner had we arrived there, we were surprised that some houses had been destroyed, and were no longer fit for habitation, this was the first trouble that faced us when we returned after the war. In the midst of all this confusion, my parents had to find us a home, I, my self, could feel the travail they were going through.

Luckily, my father’s friend was leaving Iraq, and we could stay out, and we couldn’t go to examinations, or learn any thing in those days, since we had no school, we spent most time either playing or listening to religious programes.And then the economic situation began to deteriorate and crumble , and my father couldn’t buy us toys even our basic needs could not be met. Our money began to run out. Our father could not even buy us toys. He had always been not just a father but a kind, good friend. Now his conduct began to change, and he didn’t seem to be the same person at all. My father worked as a driver in the red Cross a humanitarian mission, which well suited his character, he loved to help many people. And it taught him to be steadfast in this calling. After schools reopened, I managed to achieve success and once again make headway, I was very eager to take examinations, and this made mother happier than anything else… Days went by; however I began to feel the difference in that we would not go to playgrounds, like the old days. When I asked my mother why this was so, she answered that all the places had gone.
Now, after a year, we had been robbed, our house has been burned, and we were facing a major Crisis our father was now ill, with a stroke in the brain, because of worry and exhaustion. We were now living in the house of my grandparents so as to save on money expenses, my mother had to work as she was our only means of support. This illness kept my father in bed for two months and six days. I wept whenever I looked at him; his struggles with disease and death never stopped. I prayed to the lord that he would get well and stand on his feet. After almost four months my father was well, but not completely, this was after a therapeutic period that was not at all easy. I remember that my mother was always praying and going off to the church to perform special prayer rituals. Soon my father could stand on his feet, not as steady as before, but much better than we had dared to hope.
In the meantime the proprietor of the house sold it, and we had to live in an empty apartment, the owners there left Iraq, for fear of their lives. We thankfully had some old friends near our new address, like my aunts’ family. We would meet our friends at the church which was near, thank God among the members were some nice people who helped us, and we received many gifts from people both inside and outside Iraq. Really the relationships between the members of this church are wonderful. We learned a lot about the bible and what is wrong, and what is right from the Gospel, I learned great things on how to regulate my life and order my relationships with my friends.
My happiness increased many times when I met father Andrew, he was so considerate and treated me with such kindness, and envelopes me with a warmth that only my father had provided. He soon succeeded in bringing happiness and warmth into our home, and proved to us that what we learned in the Gospel is true. The Lord can help us to overcome the trials and difficulties that we face through life, when I visit my relatives and my friends nowadays; I feel that I am indeed fortunate, because so many of them are in need of a father especially a father like father Andrew. So that they can see life better and brighter. So I call upon all and sundry to take the road of Christian faith, so happiness will enter their hearts, also love.

In conclusion, we can only express our thanks to God, and to the good father Andrew, for all the happiness and goodness he has brought me and my family.

Fulla