GOD's Window

When all doors are shut on your face, GOD opens a window so that you can see the world's beauty and enjoy his creation and blessings. As a first daughter, I had to take the lead and sail with my mother and two gorgeous sisters into life challenges, sometimes to reach safe harbors and sometimes we failed, but learned important lessons.

For a while, I could not afford for college. Thus, I worked hard in all jobs that I can do such as a receptionist, teacher, and kinder garden teacher. I have always dreamed of working in humanitarian field to help disadvantaged people and GOD made true. I joined a humanitarian agency dealing with refugees in Yemen as a translator. I was translating social reports about refugees’ issues in Aden which varies for accompanied minors (here one of them http://snuraddin.blogspot.com/2010/04/survival-trip.html), elders and women who are survivors of Sexual and gender based violence. For many weeks, I had hard times in reading those stories of injustice. However, those women were strong, even stronger than myself I believe, because they traveled across sea ,seeking good life for themselves and their kids to get a new start for their lives. I learned from them to be as a palm tree weaving for winds with forehead embracing the sky.

Then, as it is said: good things come in threes; I finally was able to join college. Shorty after that, I got in an exchange program to the US which was really a life experience that opened all doors for me. Through this experience, I joined facebook to keep in touch with my friends and stay tuned with global issues and network for global causes. Then I got back to Yemen, returned to my agency but as a human resources assistant and SGBV trainer for the refugees’ community. It was very rewarding experience and I really enjoyed it as it gave a new perspective in dealing with these issues and raising awareness in a community where violence is not seen but heard, felt and practiced against women.

As I continued in this field to empower women ,I joined Springboard training which I personally recommend it for all women as it embraces its name. I graduated from the program and was one of the success stories to be published in Yemen’s branch magazine. And as GOD knew my passion, He sent me a training program on Gender and Sexuality ,and I am writing this article on the last day before I travel to attend the first module of the training and I am sure that I will contribute positively when I get back to my country. Few days after I got accepted in the training program, a very dear friend of mine sent me the VOF training opportunity. I read it and was thrilled and excited to join and share with other women from all over the world our concerns as women from the entire globe. Indeed GOD’s window is always open!