We had a nice and comfortable life. We were not afraid. I had my six children with me. My oldest daughter was 13, my youngest boy was a year and a half year old. I was working in the home, cooking, cleaning, and my kids were going to school.
A month before ISIS came to our village, the sounds of bombs was over our house; it was very loud and they were very close. Even my husband who is deaf and mute would wake up because in the middle of the night because of the sounds.
It was 4 am and I heard ISIS coming to take over our village. First, they took a village next to ours and we knew they would come to our village, too. I called my dad; I told him ISIS is coming! He said no, “Don’t worry nothing is going to happen.”
At 7 am, I woke up all my children and told them nothing is going to happen, I washed them, we had breakfast, and I cleaned my house. I was just about to take a shower when my relative told me it’s time to run, ISIS was coming. I went to my front door and saw everyone running. ISIS started shooting.
I took all the bread we had and two bottles of water and we started to run away to Shingal mountain.
It was very hard for us there. My daughter, she was just five years old and she was crying all the time. She didn’t have any shoes, while we were running her shoes were lost. There was no food. There was some water, but it was not clean, it was only for the animals, so to clean it we would take it and try to filter it with clothes.
We didn’t stay in one place, all the time we kept moving. At night it was very cold. I would even take off my clothes to cover up my children. People were saying ISIS was coming and they had this type of machine - it was very strong - so even if you were on top of the mountain, they could shoot you. So we were afraid. We just ran from this place to another until we reached Syria.
We saw so many things on the way. There were people that died - just falling down - because there was no food or water - they were just passing away.
My husband can’t hear, but he was seeing what the other people were doing and what was happening. He was feeling what was going on. He became so tired and overwhelmed. He fell down, and he told us, “You have to move, you have to run away! If ISIS comes, let them take me, but not you.” All my kids started to cry. We told him, “No we are not leaving you.” I gave my baby to my oldest daughter and my youngest daughter, I gave her to her other sister. I told them to carry them and walk in front of me, “I will bring your dad.”
For three days I held my husband. I had one arm around his shoulder and the other around his waist. Sometimes he would fall, and I would catch him and throw some water on his face until we got to Syria.
It took about a week to get to Syria. We heard there was safe place we can go near Zawita. There was a big hall there and we stayed there for a year and a half. We were very comfortable there; trusting people and not afraid. But we heard there were people in the hall who were really ISIS, and we were afraid. We left that place to come to here.
After everything that happened to us, it’s hard to trust people the same way. But my situation is this- my husband is deaf and mute, one of my kids is disabled, ISIS came. I have all of my six children with me. I’m trying very hard to make my situation better, but there are difficulties in my life. I have many responsibilities. I am a person whose mind is always working because my kids, my house, all those things are on my mind. I’m always feeling not comfortable, so I keep working.
I heard [about Tutapona] from my sister. I went to my sister’s house and she said, “There’s this very good class - you will feel comfortable and relaxed, do you want to come with me?” And I told her yes.
My sister is like me. All the time she was thinking and not feeling comfortable, but after Tutapona’s GROW program, she was a like a rose that opened and grew. Even her way of talking changed. After the first day, I decided to convince my two daughters to come to the program too.
Before I came to GROW, I was doing my responsibilities, but sometimes I would just get tired. I would lose power to do those things. But now, I never feel weak. I have power to do all these things; more power to continue with my responsibilities.
After I came to the program, and hearing from Tutapona about trusting and believing, I am a very different person. I still remind my kids about what Tutapona told us. Even my kids are feeling much more comfortable. Sometimes I tell them, “Don’t you lose your hope in God." All the time put your trust in God. God willing, things may be better.”
Sometimes, I over-think things like going back to Shingal to our home, or how my kids are, or for how long will I keep going to the doctors for my disabled child, or when will this end? I don’t know. But then I say “No!”, I have to stop thinking this way. God willing, everything will be okay.
I didn’t go to school, I didn’t learn how to read or write but I can still do many things. Each one of us has a destiny. God gives us special things. This is what God has given me.
-Tara* Kurdistan Iraq
Because of the generosity of people like you, Tara has found emotional healing. BUT there are thousands of people just like Tara with stories that are yet to end with hope. Help Tutapona bring hope and healing by donating today.
*Name has been changed to protect individual and her family.