Meanwhile, in Iraq. From a 16 year old Iraqi Blogger.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

Edited slightly for readability. I have the blogger's permission to post here.

http://livesstrong.blogspot.com/

Friday, November 28, 2008
Alive with dead spirit..

Dear friends .. It has been unbelievably hard week, I was about to loose control of my study and mind !

Last weekend, I was planning to write a shared post with Baghdad dentist, we were chatting at noon, and a dreadful explosion happened, it was the loudest one I've ever heard, I put the laptop a side and ran to my sister who was screaming "something hit my head" she was actually under the curtain I carried her she was unable to stand and crying, I started to cry then both of us fall and I carried her again and reached the corridor almost crawling! suddenly she fainted I got panicked, I sat on the floor and started to examine her head and neck to see if she fainted because of an injury, my dad was taking a shower at that time, and my neighbor was in our house , dad kicked the door several times till the door was opened (because of the blast dad couldn't open the door easily), he came up running and yelling " are you ok? " We were unable to go to the kitchen to bring her water because of the heavy shooting and random bullets, grandma brought water from the nearby bathroom, showered her on her face and finally my sister woke up I kept hugging her, I was so afraid, but she's well expect small scratches on her arm caused by the glass..

My neighbor left our home quickly while the bullets were falling everywhere likes rain, because her old mom was home alone. We spend the first hour looking at our house and possessions feeling strongly thankful for being alive, and extremely in pain to see the house we love damaged like that, we kept thanking god for saving us, when I started to walk in the house and see what has happened, I stated to shake, I was thinking if we were in other places of the house, we would be injured now, or even not alive, but then I started to think reasonably and said "what hits me wasn't suppose to miss me, and what misses me wasn't suppose to hit me", I have faith in god, and I know he is watching and saving us, that's why I feel positive even in the hardest times, and I know everyone will face his/her destiny no matter what, but even though I sometimes almost loose hope and my optimizing spirit ..

Anyway, we started to clean and fix the house, at 11 pm I was unable to stand, we all slept in one room, freezing, afraid, and upset of course, but feeling grateful for being alive..

In the next day I woke up early to participate in fixing the house, also my relatives came to help, I had two lectures couldn't postponed them because we didn't have mobile phone services at all, my teacher tried to teach me, but I wasn't concentrating well, I was so tired beside the hammer and drill sounds, it was so hard to hear each other, I reached a point that I was going to cry, what should I do? I am doing my best to concentrate and study well, but the hard circumstances I face makes it so hard if not impossible to do so.. When the lecture was over, and the teacher was leaving, I tried to open the door for her but if was locked, I tried several times, then started to kick it, but it didn't work !! both of my teacher and I started to kick it but the blast caused a huge warp!! My mom went from the other side pushed it and it was finally opened!! Although my mom asked me not to help them and study but I couldn't, first there was so much noise, and secondly I wasn't in a good mood to study well!! Many relatives visited us, they couldn't believe that we are safe !! At noon my other teacher arrived I opened the door carrying a broom! .. at that night I couldn't sleep, I suffered from insomnia, and I had a lecture at 8 am ! But I actually did well!!! On Sunday I went to school without studying anything although I had two exams, and tons of homework (I didn't do well), but I took the Monday off , I had to postponed two exams , and stayed home to do my past days homework...

We spent 5 days fixing the house, and then the terrorists informed the neighbors not to fix the houses as there'll be another explosion, I felt so mad, what drove my crazy was to know the terrorist who caused the explosion didn’t get killed!! This explosions destroyed many houses, killed 6 people, and injured at least 36, some of the neighbors are staying in the emergency room, I hope they'll recover.. I'll leave you with the pictures now:

I pray we'll have a peaceful life, and free country, I also hope that the terrorists won't cause another explosion…

Sunshine

[ixion]

1. very, very sad...

:cry:

We have brought such hell upon these people. :(

[snappyturtle]

2. Odd since the surge is working!

:sarcasm:

This is awful. How terrifying that explosion must have been. This whole occupation was done in our name! January 20th can't come fast enough.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Yep. It's working for the politicians and generals to keep what's happening out of mind.

This girl has, in effect, written a history of the invasion and occupation. Go to the link and read back to see what our noble effort has accomplished for the Iraqis...the forgotten people of a war in their country.

[snappyturtle]

4. I will....thanks. nt