Before war broke out in Syria, K was a loving son and brother, a passionate student, and a hard worker. After receiving his degree in English Literature from Damascus University in 2009, K was eventually drafted into the Syrian military and forced to fight in the civil war as a soldier under Assad’s regime. His experience in the war changed his life, both in terms of his outlook and eventual decision to flee Syria for Lebanon in order to escape violence he no longer felt he could participate in. K now lives in Germany as a refugee along with his wife, a fellow Syrian refugee herself. In this clip, K shares a story from the war that strengthened his belief in God and the inherent decency of humanity.
Interview Transcript:
I have always believed in God. Not because of something that I inherited from the people. I was always trying to read and to deepen my knowledge in religion, because I felt it is the most important thing in life to know about the creator. And a kind of trust or confidence has developed, and sometimes when I used to pray and he responds—that was very great to me.
I cannot forget, when I was about 26, I was drafted. After six, seven months, we were surrounded by the Free Syrian Army and al Qaeda, because they were in cahoots. And they surrounded us until a lot of people died and until a lot of people starved, because there was no way to get some food. We used to eat grass. After one month they got in, there was a big battle, and I was shot there—4 bullets. And the night after that, we hid ourselves in one place. Then the officer said we had tanks come and join us. He said to all the people. They went with him, except me. I was very afraid after the 4 bullets. I said I will not go with them, I will take any other way. I trusted God, and I said, I am ready to walk from Aleppo to Hama. But I’m not ready to get in this tank—maybe they will shoot us.
I fled, and I walked for about 6 kilometers in the forests. I bled a lot of blood. So when I used to take a rest, it was very difficult for me when I stand up. I couldn’t see for 15 minutes. I used to think, I am blind. Until I arrived to a house, I was not also afraid that they maybe will be house for al Qaeda. I knocked my feet on the door, because I couldn’t with my hands, because the shots were in my back, in my hands.
So, one of them said, “Come in.”
I said, “I can’t.”
Then he opened the door. They were about 15 men—all of them with beards. I was wearing the military clothes.
They said, “What are you doing here?”
I said, “First of all, I just need to drink something, to eat something. I am very, very hungry. Can you give me something, and if you want to kill me, then there’s no problem. But at least try to bury me, and to call my family.”
He said, “No I will not kill you. I will give you food, I will give you everything. Come!”
God, he showed himself to me. I cannot avoid thinking about that—I’m a religious guy. I am all the time ask about tolerance. I think that we are all together brothers in humanity. God created us, not to be enemies. He wanted to teach us a lesson. Not to let us make wars, or to feel that we are more preferable than the other people. I believe in equality, because I understood the Quran. I have read it 30 or 40 times. I learned a lot of things from these instructions: to be patient, to be tolerant, to understand the others.
Jesse Remedios, Trinity ’17
Emily Hardgrove, Trinity ’17
Jennifer Schnadig, Trinity ’19
