Stories – Page 3 – Cedars Network

Celebration Day

Layla is one of seven children. She tends to get lost in the chaos of her brothers and sisters, but her love is fierce. When someone walks through the door…

Layla is one of seven children. She tends to get lost in the chaos of her brothers and sisters, but her love is fierce. When someone walks through the door to her small home, she is the first to sprint across the room and wrap her arms around the neck of an unsuspecting guest. After her father was killed in…

After her father was killed in the conflict in Syria, Layla's mom decided to relocate her children to a neighboring country. The family spent many months in harsh camp conditions before moving to a small apartment in densely populated area of a large city, where rent would be more affordable.

Layla's mom worked long hours washing dishes to try to provide for her children. However, in order to enroll her children in school she had to pay a fee for each child. Education was a luxury they couldn't afford.

When we met Layla, she was at least a couple years behind her age group. She joined our education program, along with her siblings, and flourished!

Every day she came excited and enthusiastic to learn. She finished the year in our program and on our end-of-year Celebration Day she was so proud. Now Layla and her siblings have been able to transition to a local school.

Celebrate sweet Layla's future with us!

September 2017

Livelihood, News, Trauma Care

An Artist’s Dream

When we met Adeebah and her family there were obvious signs of trauma and PTSD. They were afraid of leaving their home, the youngest had trouble speaking, and they had…

When we met Adeebah and her family there were obvious signs of trauma and PTSD. They were afraid of leaving their home, the youngest had trouble speaking, and they had reoccurring nightmares and insomnia. Before the war, they lived in a beautiful home. Adeebah and her family would sit together in their courtyard in the morning listening to the birds…

Before the war, they lived in a beautiful home. Adeebah and her family would sit together in their courtyard in the morning listening to the birds chirp as they ate breakfast.

Tensions began to rise in their town and her husband was kidnapped and tortured by the Syrian army for forty days. During that time, Adeebah was so afraid that she would sleep in the bathroom with her children at night, sure that one of the bombs she heard in the distance would find its way to their home before the sun rose. When her husband was finally released, they decided to take their children and escape to safety.

One day we noticed that Adeebah had doodled on a napkin and because of our love for the arts, we brought her a sketchbook and drawing supplies the next time we saw her. Within a few weeks she filled her sketchbook with beautiful drawings expressing her emotions and experiences. She shared with us that this gave her real hope in the midst of what felt like a very hopeless situation.

After about a month, a group of volunteer's saw her drawings and over the next two years over a hundred of her drawings were sold all over the world, from Dubai to the US and Canada, helping to provide for her family.

You may have even purchased one of her drawings!

In the Fall of 2016, this precious family was finally allowed to immigrate to the US (after waiting several years). Since that time they have been diligently learning English, Adeebah's husband was able to find a job, and the children were finally able to go to school without being bullied.

Many wonderful people have continued to love and encourage this family over the last year and we are so grateful.

Adeebah has continued to use her charcoal as her means of expression and she was just featured in a local news article in their new US town. Her story may even be featured in an article in the New Times!

Thank you for helping to make Adeebah's dreams come true! She is flourishing!

September 2017

Celebration Day

An Artist’s Dream

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