She recently turned 15. I've been following her (and other Iraqi blogs) for about a year. Her's always moves me the most because of her age. I edited this entry for the sake of brevity and arranged it into paragraphs. I encourage everyone to read her blog and be reminded that this is what we have brought to Iraq in the name of "democracy".
http://livesstrong.blogspot.com/Thursday, March 08, 2007
At least we are alive !...
I heard a shocking news , the poor widow who used to clean my class was killed, I feel really sorry for her children, they lost there parents, the cleaner before her was also killed.
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We took many pictures , and returned to the house , we had lunch then the electricity came at 4:30 , I was working on the computer and heavy shooting started , mortars fall on the neighborhood, this lasted for an hour, 3 mortars fall in the street , 2 in the street behind our house , and one in front of it.
The situation in the next day wasn't better , we woke up early , I organized the house , grandma cooked , at about 1 pm , my parents' uncle , his wife and his daughter arrived from Baghdad, we had lunch , then my parents' cousin left, but her parents stayed in our house, we had so much fun , at 3 pm , they visited Najma's uncle who had a surgery, then their grandson came to our house , it was very emotional meeting.
In the next day , mama and I cleaned the house , and windows (ALL OF THEM) the house looked perfect, the guests very much liked our cleaning. Uncle didn't see grandpa for 4 years , because of the war. It was a gorgeous shining noon time, we were laughing , and having a great time , although there was shooting every now and then , but it is something usual.
At 1pm , mama and I were in the garden, Mariam was in the back yard garden, Yosif was running he wanted to go to the garden shoeless ,but our uncle catch him in the corridor , Dad ran upstairs to bring Yosif's shoes , grandma was behind the house bringing fuel , uncle's wife was in the living room.
BOOOM , heavy explosion (a fuel tank full with explosives exploded near my house) , my ears were closed !2 seconds later BOOOM again, mama ran and shouted "Mariam" , I was panicked , there was thick smoke everywhere , I shouted while I was running I wanted to reach Miriam :" something fall on our house", " mariam , where are you " I stopped for a while to have a look, the windows were broken , and the glass was falling down on me , I started to cry and shouting "Mariam" , I turned and saw black smoke and blaze I realized that the explosion wasn't inside the house , I entered the house , everyone was alive !!!!! a true miracle.
The door was broken, the door after was broken into two halves , they fall on my uncle and Yosif , the bluster throw Yosif inside the closet, there was blood on aunt face , a shrapnel injured her above the eye-brow , the living room was full of windows' glass , and slivers of wood, there was smoke and gunpowder everywhere , mama asked me to bring her the mobile phone , I went upstairs and found the secondary ceiling down!
I can't thank God enough , mama bought two muttons and allocated the meet among paupers and orphans( that's how we thank Allah (god)
I was so tired , I wake up early in the morning and work ALL DAY LONG, without sleeping enough , nor eating well , I lost 6 pounds.
85 innocents were injured, and more than 25 died
May god protect us all
Sunshine ..