MEET RANIA

We are Lebanese and our situation is just as bad as the country’s situation. Our biggest trial has been the death of my son-in-law, who passed away at the age of 39 because of COVID. My widowed daughter is only 27 years-old and she has a 6-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy. Since she was pregnant when her husband passed away, she gave birth to another boy, who is now 2 years and a half.

This disaster we went through had the biggest impact on my life.  I was already tired from raising my own family in difficult circumstances, and now I am raising a family all over again but I am getting old. After the shock of her husband’s death, my daughter got psoriasis all over her body, except for her face. She doesn’t like to see people, and rarely comes here. I tried to treat her for the past three years, visiting different clinics and even trying traditional medicine, but in vain. Now they are all living with me, and I am their provider. This is a heavy burden as we are now two families living together. I have 3 other daughters, who are 23 years old, 21 years old, and 16 years old. The youngest one was born crippled.

I also have a son who is 19 years old. He is the only one working – as a valet parking – and has such a huge responsibility on his shoulders at a very young age. Recently he has been sick, because he stays under the rain most of the day, in the restaurants’ street. But he cannot call in sick, he wouldn’t be paid and we desperately need his small income. He also passed through very hard days. Shortly after he started working to help us, two years ago, he got badly burnt. He used to work in a Falafel’s shop when a frying pot with hot oil fell over his face. I spent two years treating him the best I could and I thank God everyday that he is now better.

I used to do some cleaning work previously, but I now have health issues and I cannot do heavy work anymore. Occasionally, I cook for an old couple in their house, and they are very sweet to let me take away some of the food for my own family. I have medical issues with my heart, which I am finally trying to treat after years of neglecting it. Today, I had an appointment with the cardiologist. He prescribed the appropriate medicines, but none of them is available for me at subsidized clinics and I cannot afford buying them from a pharmacy. The doctor also prescribed me diabetes medicine to strengthen my heart’s muscle as it is weak.

The house we are living in is inhabitable. The ceiling is made of nothing more than eternit, and when it rains a lot, water leaks in. A few days ago, when it rained heavily, three mattresses were totally soaked, and we all got sick because of it.

I knocked on every door to receive help, but it has always been in vain. I tried to ask help from subsidized clinics, but the priority is always for Syrian refugees. This is what hurts me, I am not against Syrians, but this is unfair. We also deserve help.

When I first reached out to the church for help after my son-in-law’s death, it was the same. Their assistance was mostly for Syrian refugees. But after getting to know me and seeing by himself our terrible living conditions, brother David extended his helping hand. He has been helping us ever since, whenever he has something to distribute. Sometimes we get food parcels or vouchers, sometimes we get with milk and diapers for my grandchildren. On Christmas my daughter also received toys for her children and a bag of food. Today, I am here to receive some winter blankets to help stand the cold. Now, the church helps many Lebanese families too, on top of the Syrian refugees.

My priority is the health and wellbeing of my children and grandchildren. We have no one else around to help raise them, no decent uncles or aunts, and I doubt anyone will want to remarry my daughter. She hasn’t recovered from her husband’s death and her life is shattered.

I ask God to strengthen me, at least until my grandchildren grow up and my daughter regains the mental and physical strength she needs to take care of her three children.