Pope Francis brought three Syrian families from a Greece refugee camp to Rome. He handpicked them for a better life in the Italian capital. TV 2’s team visited two-year old Riyad and his family who were blessed with a new home in the Eternal City.
The contrast could hardly be greater from idyllic Rome to the war in Syria, and the subsequent stay in a refugee camp. This is the story of a very normal Syrian family, with a very unique story.
Little Riyad had a tough start in Italy; he cried every day in kindergarten and was not keen on practicing his Italian vocabulary. He’d rather play with the stones in the garden. But while Riyad played, his parents practice Italian as often as they can.
The family lives near the Vatican, which reminds them of home – of the churches in Syria, especially those in Damascus. But that was before the war. Before the family had to flee, and ended up in this refugee camp on Lesvos, Greece.
Then one night - completely out of the blue - they got a question that changed everything. The Pope would come to Lesvos, and he would choose three families that he should take with him to Rome. They only got five minutes to respond. They actually wanted to go to France, where mother Nour Essa studied microbiology few years ago. But they quickly decided that this was a unique place for chance.
Two months after their arrival in Rome, Riyad has become a familiar face on the piazza. He’s doing better now. He enjoys going to kindergarten and his Italian is improving day by day.
The Vatican financially supports the three refugee families while a Catholic organization arranges the practicalities. The families were given residence with lightning speed.
They are extremely grateful. But at the same time their thoughts go to all the people that weren’t given a similar chance; of their friends still stuck in Greece. They pray for the borders to be re-opened. They are also shocked by what is happening on the Mediterranean. That an increasing number of people die, in particular from Libya to just Italy.
The family wishes their Muslim leaders could be more like the Pope. But they wish to reassure their new, fellow countrymen: If the war in Syria ends, they want to go back to Syria. Even though they are getting all set in and comfortable in Italy they do not look at it as “home”. – If the war ends, everyone will go back to Syria and stay in their homeland. So do not be afraid, father Hasan Zaheda, humorously says to those that are scared that they will overstay their welcome.
from Rudaw http://ift.tt/28Lr67M
via Defense News
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