My safe space — my grandfather’s land

This is my cousin. I wanted to show you his picture but I also wanted to show you the picture of the little river behind.

This is the place where I feel the most safe.

This little river is just next to my grandfather’s land, and there is a small cave that you can go inside. Each and every holiday, we would go to our grandparents’ house, and the first thing I’d do in the morning was ask to go there.

I feel like I’m an explorer when I go there.

There’s a small ladder that we used to get down to this spot. I used to be very afraid of climbing down it. Once my foot slipped and got stuck between the rungs. But my cousin goes on it running, he doesn’t look down but I look down.

I only used to see my cousin in the holidays. In the summer he used to go and bring me fruits from the trees.

My mum’s uncle has land next to my grandparents’ house, and he had berries and akadinya trees. But he had forbidden us to pick them because he didn’t want anyone to step on the vegetables he’d planted there. But as soon as I said to my cousin ‘I want akadinya’, he’d go at once.

There are two years between us. He’s still in Syria.

Christian Aid partner Mouvement Social is giving Stephanie and children like her access to recreational, educational and psychological support. To donate to our Syria Crisis Appeal and to support vital work like this, please visit our website.