Standing together during the arduous challenges of war

Merciless onslaughts and formidable challenges fail to wipe off the hope in this young refugee’s eyes (World Vision)

By Dr. Hassan Humeida
Kiel, Germany: It is war and its machine does not stop and goes on. Many people are currently on the run. Civilians who have been forced to leave their safe homes, villages or towns. Women and children are allowed to leave their places. Young people and fathers of families are obliged to stay there to defend and protect whatever is left. Elderly people choose to stay voluntarily and proudly, as many of them feel there is not much left of their lives and it would be a shame if they fled and left their towns and villages in a severe and serious situation.

Many people are fleeing war. The escape through long, difficult and arduous paths and passages. These lead through neighboring countries with different languages, cultures, and rules. On the escape routes, not everything goes as the traveler would like. It is damp, cold and dark and for many people there are also very long walks. Holding in one hand a child or more and carrying in the other hand a necessary suitcase. Sometimes the back is loaded with a bag too. The destinations remain far away for many people, mothers as well as children.

Not everything goes smoothly on the run from war. And it is not only those who are healthy or who can walk with full freedom and physical fitness are on this difficult path. Among those on the run are seriously ill people who need life-sustaining medication around the clock. There are people with walking or visual impairments; there are heavily pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers who need special attention for themselves and to avoid dangerous situations. People, including mothers and children, die along the way.

The many host countries do their best to welcome and accommodate the war refugees without narrow inclinations, ethnic or religious.

The only thing that counts here is the person who needs urgent help, in need and it is provided without conditions. In many countries in Eastern Europe, people who can help needy people do it. They help with everything they have -drink, food, medicine, clothes and private housing. All this shows us that we humans, even the poor, can give a lot to people in need, at least warmth.

An excerpt from my children’s book entitled “The Memories of Maysoon” – Published on February 23, 2022 – The hard face of nature (3):

The days go by, but I still remember it clearly. I remember how our village wore a dress of sadness. I remember the green that covered it before the war and how destruction started afterwards. When I fled and emigrated, I saw a different picture of our old village. The green of the village was gone; it had turned to dust. The lovely bushes of the village became lifeless sticks. All that was left from the trees were stumps, cut off, amputated stumps. We left sadly our village. It was devoid of heat, light, water and pleasure.

E-Mail: hassan_humeida@yahoo.de

Dr. Hassan Humeida