Maintaining and Rebuilding Our Lives

My family and I have faced an unimaginable loss. Our home, filled with love, memories, and hope, has been destroyed, leaving us with nothing but the determination to start again. Attached are images of what once was our sanctuary and the heartbreaking aftermath of its destruction.

We are reaching out to you, our extended community, to ask for your support in helping us rebuild. Every contribution, no matter how small, will bring us one step closer to having a safe space for our family once more. Your kindness and generosity will not only help restore our house but also our hope and stability.

Among the ruins of our home, the loss of my little Teema’s room has been the hardest to bear. It was a space crafted with love, adorned with soft colors, and filled with the dreams we had for her future. Her crib, her tiny clothes, and her favorite little decorations—each item held a story, a memory, and our hope for a better tomorrow.

Now, her once-cozy sanctuary has been reduced to rubble. The walls that protected her sleep, the star-shaped pillow embroidered with her name, and every detail we lovingly placed in her room are gone, destroyed in an instant by a bomb. Seeing it shattered broke not only my heart but also the dream of giving her the safety and comfort every child deserves.

As we struggle to rebuild our lives, I am reaching out for your help. I dream of creating a new room for Teema, a space where she can grow, laugh, and feel the love of home once more. If you can contribute, no matter how small, it will help us piece together not just bricks and mortar, but a life for our family.

Our lives have changed drastically in the past days. Once, we had a home filled with warmth, love, and laughter. Now, my family and I find ourselves living in a tent, trying to piece together a semblance of normalcy amidst the chaos.

The tent provides shelter, but it can never replace the home we lost. There’s no privacy, no warmth during the cold nights, and no safety from the uncertainties around us. Every day, we struggle to provide for our little Teema, to keep her safe and comfortable in a place that wasn’t meant to be lived in.

Simple things we once took for granted—running water, electricity, a place to cook—are now daily challenges. We are doing our best to stay strong, but we cannot do it alone.

In a moment of unimaginable fear, my family and I were forced to leave the home we built with so much love and effort. The danger was too great, and staying meant risking our lives. We left behind not just walls and belongings but the memories and dreams we cherished.

Now, we are displaced—living in uncertainty, far from the safety and comfort we once knew. Each day is a battle to adapt, to protect my little Teema, and to find the strength to move forward. The ache of losing everything is heavy, but the will to survive and rebuild keeps us going.

We are reaching out for your help. Rebuilding a safe place for our family is an uphill journey, but we believe in the power of kindness and community. If you can support us, whether by donating, sharing our story, or keeping us in your thoughts, it will make all the difference.

Amid the chaos of war, the bread maker stands as a poignant symbol of perseverance, community, and quiet heroism. In normal times, the smell of fresh bread signals warmth, nourishment, and daily routine. But in war, every loaf becomes a victory against hunger, fear, and despair.

Flour, once abundant and taken for granted, is now scarce. Supplies of yeast, oil, and salt are limited, and the baker must make do with whatever can be salvaged, traded, or donated. The steady hum of an electric mixer has been replaced by the rhythmic kneading of hands, as power outages are constant.

War transforms simple ingredients into treasures. The flour that once arrived in neat sacks is now collected in small, precious portions. The baker must barter with neighbors, aid workers, or merchants in the black market just to obtain enough to make a few loaves. Every handful of flour is measured with care, every grain of salt is guarded like gold. Sometimes, substitutions are made — barley for wheat, ashes for yeast starters — as resourcefulness becomes a way of survival.

Our dream of serving our community through compassionate dental care has been shattered. Our dental clinic, which once stood as a beacon of health, hope, and service, was completely destroyed by the recent bombings in Gaza. The clinic was not just a place of work — it was a vital source of care for patients in need and a means of livelihood for our family.

Every piece of equipment, every tool, and every resource we had invested in over the years is now gone. The loss is overwhelming, both financially and emotionally. Rebuilding from scratch requires significant resources, far beyond what we can manage alone. From purchasing essential dental equipment and supplies to securing a safe location, the road ahead is long and uncertain.

Every contribution, no matter how small, brings us closer to reopening our doors and returning to the profession we love. If you are unable to donate, sharing our story with others can also make a world of difference.

The war in Gaza has brought unimaginable challenges, and one of the most pressing issues we face is the difficulty in accessing life-saving medication. Due to the ongoing conflict and destruction, pharmacies are either closed or severely understocked, making it nearly impossible to get the essential medicines we need.

This struggle goes beyond just the basic healthcare we need—it is about survival. Whether it’s for ongoing medical conditions, essential treatments, or medications for our family member, the situation is dire. We have been doing everything we can to find alternative sources, but the scarcity and rising costs of medicines have made this an overwhelming task.

The kitchen is housed under a repurposed tent fabric, offering basic protection from rain, wind, and sun. It’s a modest space, but every inch is used efficiently. The ground is lined with flattened cardboard or old fabric to create a cleaner, drier surface. Despite the simplicity, Darin has created a sense of order and normalcy.

Food supplies are scarce, but Darin has created a small, organized area for storage. Repurposed containers, cloth sacks, and plastic bags hold staples like rice, lentils, bread, and spices. Without access to a fridge, she relies on methods like drying, salting, or covering food with wet cloths to preserve it as long as possible. Every item is precious, and nothing goes to waste.

Water is stored in large plastic jugs or reused bottles, carefully rationed for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. Washing dishes is done with minimal water, using sand or ash as natural scrubbing agents when soap is unavailable. A makeshift drain or a hole in the ground ensures that waste water flows away from the kitchen area.

I am reaching out to you on behalf of Teema, a precious one-year-old full of potential and promise. Teema’s future is bright, but like many, she needs support to build a strong foundation for the years ahead. Your generosity can make a world of difference by providing Teema with the resources she needs for a healthy, happy, and successful life.

By contributing, you are not just helping her today; you are investing in a future filled with hope, growth, and opportunity. Every donation helps pave the way for her to thrive, and with your support, she can overcome any obstacles that may lie ahead.

My room is no longer a room just shattered walls and scattered debris. The place that once held my dreams, my comfort, and my memories is now nothing but ruins. It's a heartbreaking to see everything I built reduced to dust, but I still hold on to hope that one day, I can rebuild.