Amid the Rubble
Mohammed lived in a small neighborhood in Gaza, where houses were destroyed, and the skies never knew peace. In a corner of the street, Mohammed and his family gathered under the remnants of their home's roof, trying to rebuild their lives from the ruins.
His younger brother, Ali, had been injured weeks earlier by shrapnel from a nearby explosion. His legs were no longer the same. Yet, he smiled through his pain, his eyes filled with silent suffering. "We’ll endure, Mohammed. Don’t worry," he would say, as if comforting himself before comforting others.
But living without a proper tent or shelter was an even greater challenge. They huddled under a single blanket to ward off the bitter cold of the night. When the rain fell, it seeped through the ground they slept on, making everything even harsher.
Despite his young age, Mohammed tried to shoulder the responsibility. Every morning, he would head out, searching for a piece of bread or any help to sustain his family. He knew the world had forgotten them, but they had not forgotten themselves. They fought not with weapons but with patience and faith.
One day, as Mohammed sat beside his brother, he held his hand and said, "Ali, we won’t need a tent forever. I’ll build you a strong house, plant an olive tree in front of it, and your legs will be stronger than before."
Ali laughed through his tears and asked, "And what if we don’t find a house?"
Mohammed smiled and replied, "We’ll build our home in the hearts of people who won’t forget us."
And so, between pain and hope, their lives went on, relying on their resilience and their belief that God would never abandon them.