A Syrian Refugee Family Counts their Blessings

 

A Syrian family has been living as refugees in Lebanon for almost two years. Their World Food Programme card was stopped because of funding cuts, but thanks to World Vision Lebanon, they are still benefiting from assistance that is helping them survive their harsh circumstances.

 

The Al-Khitam family are one of the millions of Syrian families trying to survive life as refugees. 

 

Jassem, his wife Wafa, and their nine children have been living in a tent in a camp in Dalhamiyye, central Bekaa, for almost two years. When the war commenced in Syria, they were forced to move from their three-storey house in Homos to a farmyard barn. After two years of trying to survive the dangerous security situation they had to flee to Lebanon, where they remain today. 

 

The family relied on their World Food Programme card until it expired four months ago due to funding cuts. Fortunately they still receive assistance from the Lebanon Cash Consortium, who provide them with a card that Wafa calls “Nafas hayatna”, which in Arabic translates to “The cash card is the air we breathe, it is what keeps us alive.”

 

Sitting on the ground outside of their tent, Wafa and Jassem could not have appeared much more different, one in a long black abaya with beaded embroidery and the other in a modest button-down shirt and thin pants. But despite the differences they shared one thing: smiles that told a story of resilience.

 

One of their sons, Hasan-Hussein, now 18, survived being shot between the eyes while the family was still in Syria, and Jassem was badly injured in a bombing. Due to his leg he can no longer provide for his family as he once did. 

 

When he could still work, Jassem used to travel to Lebanon for 20 days every other month to work in construction. Even then, before the war started raging, he would get anxious about going back home to Syria. He loves his country but the experience of war has brought much anxiety and uncertainty; The uncertainty of knowing when the war will end, uncertainty of how long it will take to get back to one’s home, and the uncertainty of whether there will be enough money to buy food. 

 

Jassem also has diabetes, which is difficult to manage even in ordinary circumstances. If he is late in taking his insulin he risks hyperglycemia, which can lead to collapse, and in extreme cases, even death. 

 

  

 

Wafa has kidney stones which leave her in constant pain and prevent her from standing for long periods of time, but the family cannot afford the necessary surgery to treat them. Despite her condition, Wafa still manages her daily responsibility of cooking for her immediate and extended family and neighbors. They purchase their diet of rice, beans, and some olive oil, with the assistance of the LCC.

 

Trying to find food in a war is challenging, let alone insulin, needles, and pharmaceuticals among other basic necessities. Lack of cash prevents them from obtaining a regular diet and the subsequent complications leave them even more vulnerable, predominantly because they also have difficulty attaining medical care. 

 

Despite such hardship, the al-Khitam family remains grateful for what they have. Jassem says, “Everyone can adapt to circumstances, what is important is to have your loved ones near you, this is the most important thing. We are lucky enough to not have lost any family members in the war … We have hope that we will return to Syria one day, hopefully not longer than in 10 years’ time.” As for Wafa, she fixes her shawl around her head, continuing to smile, and adds, “Life is still sweet.”

 

Without a doubt, these are the faces of resilience.

 

 

Author: Chloe Younes, WV Lebanon