A Blossom in the desert

New place ,new people & new hope

January 6, 2011

When a baby bird takes it first flight ,the baby bird has its parents as support but Emaan was a bird devoid of any support ,fluttering between excitement and nerve wrecking emotions as she stood at the Damascus International Airport. Even the entire flight of approximately 11 hours wasnt enough to prepare her the kind of fear engulfed her being surrounded by unknown faces. Whispering Allah 's name & seeking strength,Emaan moved her trolley in search of Mr.Rahman....the man who was alloted to be her pick up driver untill she becomes acquainted with the city of Aleppo .She took out her cellphone and switch it on to check the email and photo that she had saved and had been sent by  UNERCO ( the association afliated with United Nations and which was responsible for taking care of her stay in Syria from providing transportation facilities to housing facilities). She had inserted the new sim in her cellphone given by UNERCO in order to ensure of her safety and ease. Despite the air condition,Emaan felt sweats in her palms ...a sign of her anxiety . All these years after her parents death ,Emaan had locked herself more and became more reclusive, with Sana and Imad uncle only being to whom she had conversations. And right now ,standing there surrounded by only strangers ,she felt like a kid lost in a fair. She was frantically looking here and there trying to find the face that she had memorized by seeing the photo on her cellphone so many time after she had landed on the airport. But then she saw a cue card on which in English in an childish handwriting Dr E m a a n was written . As the cue card was kept in front of the face ,Emaan wasn't sure if it was for her .But when she came near and she saw the face she had memorized too well ,the face which was exactly the same but the smile ...the rare genuine smile of his made Emaan to smile too despite all the fear and panic her heart was resonating with.
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Mr Raza Rahman felt just like his name ..his face was filled with Raza ( satisfaction ) and his actions with rahmat (kindness). Intiallly Emaan had been filled with doubts , fear and negative thoughts as she had sat in Mr Rahman's taxi, of thoughts of what if he was not what he showed ,what if he belongs to some human trafficking gang ...the betrayal from closed ones might teach one many things but it also snatches away ones ability to trust . And thus Emaan couldn't trust him even when Mr Rahman showered her with his kindness by presenting her the tiffin containing special breakfast made by his wife especially for her. Thus despite the grumbling sounds made by her stomach as the combination of emotions of excitement and anxiety had caused her to skip all the food she was offered during the flight ,still she didn't ate as she was skeptical about the food offered . And even after his consistent insistence to start eating she had consistently denied saying it's too hot for her to eat . Guilt was another emotion that had found refuge in her heart but still she had let the doubts to be victorious over her myriad emotions.

She had asked him to stop at a local bank where she could exchange foreign currency ,and there too Mr Rahman had been a kind guide and helper .Emaan was touched by everyone's kindness at bank towards her especially Mr Rahman...it was a new thing to her ...a sheer contrast to her life back at home. So as soon she sat inside the car ,to show him her gratefulness she opened the tiffin and muttered Bismillah & asked Allah 's protection, & let her mouth and stomach be bombarded with exquisite flavours. And let her heart to lower it's wall and letting the wind of kindness flew inside it. When she had praised the food and thanked Mr Rahman for his kindness ,Mr Rahman smiled his million dollar smile ...the smile that made Emaan reminiscence his father ,and she couldn't help but smile back blinking back her tears.
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Journey to Aleppo from Damascus was approximately 4-5 hours and throughout this journey Emaan didn't felt like sleeping due to the exquisite scenery outside and incessant conversation of Mr .Rahman inside....a man with broken English but with a heart filled completely with kindness. The journey to Aleppo began with his conversation telling her about Syria ,then their designated destination Aleppo and finally his own life story . Mr Rahman used to drive cab in Damascus but for his lady love aka his wife he shifted to Aleppo & began his taxi service .But even after several years of marriage the couple weren't able to bear a child , even after consulting several doctors ,they got the same answers that her wife wouldn't be able to bear a child .Even the words devastated and heartbroken couldn't suffice what the couple felt. Emaan who had been an acquaintance with pain for a long time , could easily see the unleashed pain in Mr Rahman's eyes when he looked in the rear view mirror even though he had tried to hide it by his smile. But then listening to his further story, made Emaan to be filled with mammoth of regret to have doubted such a pure soul.