B.C. Dodge & R. Mordant Mahon talk to Tamir from Syria in this episode of “What a Relief!” — IRUSA’s official podcast.
This week, B.C. and Mordant host a special episode of the podcast. This episode was not scheduled, but was pulled together at a moment’s notice when Tamir showed up to volunteer at the Islamic Relief USA Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.
When the hosts found out that Tamir had fled Syria due to the violence in the region, they asked him to share his story with the podcast listeners.
Tamir was one of the lucky ones. He was able to escape with his family to Turkey and pursue his education. Yet his memories of Syria are still vivid, and his losses tragic. Among the losses was one of his best friends. Tamir admits that he still hasn’t been able to delete that friend’s contact from his phone, and still visits his Instagram page. “He is still alive to me,” he says.
He also lost his cousin, the only son of his aunt, who is also a widow. She had insisted on staying in Syria because she knew no other home. Her son was shot by a sniper on his way home.
Listening to Tamir describe his incredible losses in such a stoic manner is telling of the growing desensitization to the conflict. He says that when you ask someone back home how things are, they always respond, “Fine.” Even though things have not been fine for a long time.
In this episode, Tamir shares his own passion for giving back and why he chooses to volunteer with Islamic Relief. He explains his personal philosophy on why giving of oneself—whether in money or time—is so very important.
Tune in to hear the first hand account of a Syrian who has escaped the war. “People are getting bored of Syria,” he says. Yet Tamir insists that we must continue to raise awareness and remember that the stories are more than just numbers of lives lost.
“It’s not numbers,” he says, “it’s people and dreams.”