While in Raqqa, a city devastated by war, we heard distressing sounds coming from a school. This occurred in February of 2018, which was roughly four months after the city’s liberation. Being experienced bomb disposal professionals, we knew better than to rush into the situation because we were aware that cries of children were frequently used as traps by ISIS.
We stumbled upon a scared Chihuahua hiding behind a solid base. Sadly, his family had been massacred, and he was the only one left alive. As a tribute to his survival during the tumultuous times of war, we gave him the moniker Barry.
Even though I was afraid of dogs at first, I still gave Barry a biscuit while wearing gloves. He ate it carefully as I petted him. Before leaving, I made sure to give him food and water and promised to come back. Barry brought me a sense of optimism that I hadn’t felt since my time in the Army ended in 2014. After returning home, I faced difficulties related to my time in the military as well as personal struggles.
After saying goodbye to my friend at his funeral in Syria, I felt a renewed sense of duty as a soldier. So when I was given the chance to join the Syrian team, I eagerly jumped at it.
About a month after getting acquainted with Barry, I found myself going through the ruins of the school in search of him. To my great joy, one of my colleagues called out his name, and I quickly made my way over to where they were. With my bare hand, I reached out and tenderly stroked his head, feeling as though it was exactly what was meant to happen.
I gained Barry’s confidence by taking a risk and putting my faith in him.
