It is not easy to be a widow caring for a family in a culture where women are expected to remain at home and must guard their reputation carefully. Yet for more than ten years—since her husband disappeared—Ala has continued to persevere despite immense hardship.
To provide for her children, Ala sells home-cooked meals and offers basic medical services, making the most of every opportunity that comes her way. One such opportunity was the chance to participate in a character development training with Operation Mercy.
During a follow-up visit after the first training, Ala shared how deeply the experience had impacted her life and relationships. She spoke honestly about how harshly she had often responded to her children when they made mistakes, and how the training helped her respond with greater patience and understanding. She also described a long-standing conflict with a close friend that had left them estranged for some time. After the training, Ala chose to forgive her friend, and the two were able to reconnect, talk openly about what had happened, and reconcile.
Another significant change involved her children’s relationship with their grandfather. Although Ala’s own relationship with him was tense, she realized she had no right to prevent her children from knowing him and forming their own relationship. Choosing grace over resentment, she allowed them to reconnect.
As Ala observed the lead trainers facilitating deep and respectful conversations between men and women, her perspective began to shift. After years of fear and mistrust, she began to believe again that there are good men in the world. Before the training, Ala had been afraid to speak with men at all. This experience gave her the courage to overcome those fears and interact with them normally once more.
Motivated by this renewed confidence, Ala set new goals to improve her family’s living conditions. She took out a loan to plaster and paint the walls of her home—changes she proudly showed during the visit. She also began applying greater self-control in everyday situations, such as responding calmly when a customer called her at an unreasonable hour.
Ala and her sister later chose to continue their journey by participating in an additional training on inner healing with Operation Mercy. Together, they courageously faced deeper fears and the pain of their past, taking further steps toward healing and hope for the future.
