Ahmed's Tale

The tale of how Ahmed came to America

"My wife and I were married for five years before we conceived. Five years of wanting a child to raise together and having none. When we found out that she was pregnant, we were full of so much joy. But that joy turned to fear soon. There were complications. Malaika spent months in bed, very ill from the pregnancy.

"I was by her side as much as I could be during that time, comforting her, comforting our child. She went into labor almost three months early and  very nearly died during those hours.  Our sweet daughter was born and immediately placed in intensive care. My wife and daughter spent sixty-three days in the hospital before I could bring them home.

"Jumana became what you would call my 'Princess.' She was our miracle child and we could deny her nothing. We taught her good values and she grew to be the sweetest, most caring child. For eleven years, we were happy.

"The day that changed everything for us seemed like a perfectly normal day. I remember I had had a pleasant day at work and was in good spirits when I arrived home. Malaika greeted me at the door and told me we needed to speak privately. Fearful tears fell from her eyes as she told me of finding our daughter and another girl kissing in the garden.

"My heart stopped beating. I went to Jumana and asked her to explain, taking care to be kind and not let my fear show, for I wanted her to feel free to tell me everything. She told me of her feelings for other girls, how she had always had them, how she feared she was wrong or broken because of them. I hugged her and went off to a private place to pray. I prayed for three days, torn to shreds over the thought of my daughter being a homosexual. I loved her with all my heart, but had been taught it was wrong. Then Allah spoke to me. He reminded me of the last time I had been that scared and I knew I must protect her no matter what. I went to Jumana and reassured her that she had nothing wrong with her and my heart began to beat again, filled with resolve. I sat back down with Malaika and we began to plan.

"I will not bore you with the details, but we arrived in America three months later on a tourist visa, and immediately applied for asylum. There were those in my community who would have raped or killed my sweet daughter and called it the will of Allah. There are the same here, both Muslim and Christian, but the law does not favor them.

"I had authorized my brother to sell all of our property and possessions. The money barely covered our attorney and advocate fees, but it was enough. We found a small town here with a mosque nearby that teaches the true will of Allah is love, and we have made our lives.

"Jumana is nineteen now, in college, and dating a wonderful young woman who we have welcomed into our home after her parents kicked her out of theirs. She has been called a 'dyke', an 'abomination', we have been called 'terrorists' and 'sand-n*****s', but we endure it, because Jumana is alive.

"Our home is under the control of Daesh now. My brother and his family are in a concentration camp here in America with other refugees awaiting processing for sanctuary. Jumana's friend and her family have not been heard from in two years.

"But my daughter is alive."