A Match Made in Heaven

The mother of a handicapped child carries heavy burdens.  If this is true when she and her child live in their own country, speak their native language, and are surrounded by family and friends, how much truer it is when they live far from their familiar networks, in a country thousands of miles away, where everyone speaks a different tongue and the health-care system is complex and expensive.  I have had the privilege of meeting several strong and courageous mothers, who have arrived here with their families as refugees, carrying the physical, emotional, and spiritual burdens of caring for a handicapped child.  My friend Hamila is one of those mothers.

Tifa helps with lesson materials

As I mentioned in my last post, many refugee women find themselves unable to attend English classes regularly because of health problems, either their own or a child’s.  Hamila’s 9-year-old daughter Tifa has cerebral palsy, and is unable to do many things for herself.  Hamila and her husband have three younger healthy children in addition to Tifa, so their lives are very full.  He drives for Uber, and they are only beginning to find stability after many months in a refugee camp.  Hamila has vivid memories of fleeing their home in Syria, she carrying their baby and her husband carrying Tifa, while the two middle children did their best to keep up in the chaos.

A colleague of mine had met Hamila and got in touch with me when she heard that I could do in-home English tutoring.  We met at Hamila’s home and, over cups of steaming sweet tea, we planned to begin meeting weekly for English lessons.  She is very bright, and eager to learn!

When our last Studio session started, I asked the group of interns for volunteers to help with English tutoring, and Maria was quick to step forward.  During our getting-to-know-you time, we had learned that Maria has a brother at home with cerebral palsy.  I decided to bring her along to help with Hamila’s lessons, and meet little Tifa.  It was a match made in Heaven… truly!

While I had been a little hesitant and cautious around Tifa, Maria came right up to her and started interacting in a sweet and natural way, just as she had most of her life with her brother.

Tifa, Maria, and Hamila

Hamila was clearly happy to see someone loving and playing with her daughter in a way most people don’t.  From then on, Tifa would get excited and be eager to participate in our English lessons when Maria and I showed up.  Maria’s presence in our cohort, and in Hamila’s home, was a blessing to everyone.  I was blessed to see how Maria’s challenging family background became a gift that she could use to bless this burdened Muslim family.

From the first day, each time we met for English practice, Maria or I would pray aloud for Hamila and her family, especially Tifa.  Maria has now returned to her home to prepare for departure to her long-term ministry location in North Africa.  I am continuing to meet with Hamila, helping her with English, praying for her, and doing what I can to lighten the burdens she carries.


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