January 25, 2010 — Mustafa’s Family Reunion Celebrated

On January 1st, 2009, a small child and his father arrived at San Francisco Airport after months of planning and negotiation. Mustafa and his father Ghazwan were greeted by members of Ruth Group, the Iraq Action Group and No More Victims and taken to the Ronald McDonald House in San Francisco, where the two would stay for six months. Mustafa, three years old, was scheduled for a cochlear implant to his right ear to begin his journey back to hearing and speaking after a US delivered bomb had destroyed his hearing in the summer of 2008. Doctors at UCSF contributed their services, the maker of the cochlear device donated it, parishioners at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Tiburon raised funds for Mustafa’s tuition at the Hearing and Speech Center of Northern California.

The missing piece to the happy story was that Mustafa’s mother, Kawther, and younger brother Maadh, were still in Iraq. After more months of negotiating, planning and fund raising Ghazwan received asylum in the United States and was finally joined by his wife and second son. After settling in and getting used to their new surroundings the family was feted yesterday at the Ronald McDonald House in San Francisco.

It was a grand celebration of Mustafa’s reunited family, friends, doctors, teachers, and the staff of Ronald McDonald House. What a joyous time we had. Ruth Group members can feel proud to have sponsored this project, and seeing it through to a successful outcome. Mustafa’s family, who live in San Francisco now, have an extended family, whose help they continue to enjoy. Everyone feels a deep connection to them, and continue to find ways to help them make their way in their new lives.

Ghazwan now needs to work and support his family. Mustafa will continue his schooling at the Hearing and Speech Center in San Francisco, and his little 2 year old brother Maadh will begin attending the same school to learn English. Kawther, their mother, speaks English, and is a trained teacher in English and Arabic for secondary school. She too wants to work part time. Anyone who knows of a way to help them find work is welcome to contact them through Ruth Friend.

Ending the suffering of this family caused by the war in Iraq is a step toward ending the suffering of all the millions of families who have been disrupted, injured and killed in this war. Mustafa and his family will always remind us of this, and help us to keep working to end all wars.

Ruth Friend
ruthefriend@gmail.com
Send Contributions to: Ruth Group, Box 722, Mill Valley, CA 94941, MAKE CHECKS TO: Alalusi Foundation/Mustafa Fund.