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The plight of the Syrian civil war is not the only nightmare says Rami's father, Radi. Radi along with his wife and six children fled to Lebanon during the Syrian exodus. For a year wandering the regions of Lebanon his refugee status didn't help him to receive any support from the United Nations, explains Radi, and continues in awe remembering TREA, The Rock Eternal Association, for embracing his family with full support since five months ago. He says, "I am forever grateful to God for receiving compassion and humane hospitality from TREA". 

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The real nightmare is the trauma that the six-year-old Rami would be living in for a life time. Rami along with his siblings were terrorized from the warplane attacks and their scary sound when still back in their hometown in Syria, so they rushed to the door to leave the house in hope of escaping from the bombing. In panic and fear Rami accidentally bumps into a gasoil heater and was put on fire. He ended up with severe burns of his face and partially on his right hand. 

 

In the ashes of war and terror the country was void of first aid, hence Rami had to carry the excruciating pain and terror in his little body. The family referred to non-conventional medicine and that only resulted in worsening the child's health. As a result of the burn, Rami's lower lip and jaw have been deformed leaving an opening in the mouth that inhibits him from eating. Radi tells us in frustration that the child's health was deteriorating because he was deprived of healthcare for almost a month, as hospitals were almost nonexistent in Syria. So the family of eight had to cross the borders to enter Lebanon in hope of saving their beloved child. Radi admits that the Lebanese Red Cross showed some support, however Rami's case was difficult and simply caring for the wound was not enough.

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God had mercy on Radi and his family, and they were introduced to TREA, where they received immediate support as soon as they registered with the association. They now live in a small shelter in Beirut, and still receive ongoing support from TREA that is providing for their needs by receiving monthly food vouchers, blankets and mattresses, and other household necessities.The family attends the church regularly praising God for the compassion they received from TREA.

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Besides providing the fundamentals of survival, TREA established a special non-formal education centre, "I Can Learn", providing basic literacy and numeracy as well as psychosocial support for 60 refugee children. TREA works to enhance the students' ability to gradually improve their academic performance as most of them do not even know how to read and write. Many left Syria before schooling age and have not had any form of education since their arrival into Lebanon. In addition to that, TREA conducts extracurricular activities where children learn music, painting, dance, and different kinds of sports. Finally, teachers approach students with special care as they are well-aware of the trauma these refugee children have faced. TREA has maintained psychosocial sessions with experts in the field who use up-to-date methods to secure mental, emotional and psychological relief for the children who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the war and torture. This helped Rami and other children overcome fear and anxiety, and filled them with hope and a promising future.

Now TREA's main concern is Rami. Several witnesses have seen Rami sitting in the corner in class and watching his friends eat, while the pain screams through his eyes and he buries it in silence, buries it each and every day, because he is not able to eat as easily as his classmates and remembers how he was deprived of food and healthcare for a month, where he had to battle with pain everyday like a little hero. 

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Rami was referred to a few doctors who at once agreed, rather insisted, on plastic surgery, but the purpose of the surgery is to allow Rami the simple act of eating like everybody else does. His first surgery was skin grafting from his right thigh to his jaw line. It was a step forward, one of several surgeries; But it wasn't a complete success. He still cannot eat. His mother says his only escape is at the school where he breathes in hope and his silence is heard and answered. Exactly a few days after the surgery Rami escaped from his house and he was found entering the school.

The child still needs a second surgery for constructing a lower lip, and Rami would finally be able to eat, guaranteed the doctors.

 

Radi the father, says "TREA has turned my vengeance into peace". He speaks of his boy as a hero who survived the nightmare. Little Rami's scars will remain forever to remind him of the pain he bore on his flesh and in his heart.