Towards Hope

Chapter 9

One day, while I was working in the garden as usual, it was a sunny and beautiful day, and the ground was slightly dry. I started digging the soil to prepare it for planting some new flowers. During the digging, the shovel suddenly hit something hard. At first, I thought it was just a stone, but as I continued digging, I discovered it was an old metal box covered in rust. I stopped working and carefully took the box. It was covered in dirt and mud, but I managed to clean it with water until it was clear. When I opened the box carefully, the surprise was great. Inside the box was a collection of valuable jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, and rings adorned with precious stones. The jewelry looked very old and of historical value, perhaps even family heirlooms.

Without hesitation, I took the box and went directly to Mr. Johnson, who was sitting in his office reading some papers. I knocked on the door gently, and Mr. Johnson said, "Come in." I opened the door and said, "Uncle Johnson, you need to see this," then placed the box on the desk. Mr. Johnson raised his head and looked at the box, then at me with curiosity. He said, "What is this, Taym?" and then slowly opened the box. When he saw the jewelry, he looked astonished. Mr. Johnson took piece after piece with his trembling hands and examined them carefully. He said, "These jewels have been missing for years! Where did you find them, Taym?" Then he added in a trembling voice, "They are a family heirloom that belonged to my grandmother, and they were lost after her death. We never knew where they went."

Mr. Johnson sat silently for a moment, touched by the memories that returned to him. Then he looked at me with deep gratitude and said, "Taym, I can't express how grateful I am to you. You have done a wonderful job returning these jewels to us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

After this incident, Mr. Johnson invited me to his office in the villa. We sat and talked at length about my life and dreams. I told him about my ambitions in my studies and my goal to achieve my dream. After a long conversation, he made me an unexpected offer. He suggested that I continue working for him until I finish my studies at the university and graduate, with the promise to triple my salary. This offer felt like a gift from God. I thought long and hard about the offer, and in the end, I found it suitable for me and my circumstances. I accepted the offer with gratitude, feeling that I had found the stability I needed to continue my studies and achieve my dreams.

I started living a new life, balancing between studying and working in the garden. University days were filled with academic challenges, while after school, I spent my time caring for the garden. The relationship between Mr. Johnson and me grew stronger, and he trusted me a lot. I began to feel like I was part of this small family, contributing to maintaining the beauty of this wonderful villa. Days passed quickly, and it had been two months since I started working, achieving a balance between my studies and my work in the garden. I started noticing how manual labor in the garden helped me focus on my studies and gave me time to think and reflect. I was learning a lot at the university and receiving continuous support from Mr. Johnson, who always encouraged me to achieve my dreams.

One weekend afternoon, while I was working in the garden as usual, my phone rang, announcing the time for the Asr prayer. I decided to pray in a quiet corner of the garden, surrounded by the trees and flowers that I love. After performing ablution, I began to pray. Suddenly, I felt someone push me forcefully from behind, causing me to fall to the ground. I turned around in a panic to find a girl screaming at me, saying: "What do you think you're doing here? You're a terrorist! You came to blow up the place, didn't you?!"

Her words were like knives, cutting through my heart. I tried to stand up and explain, but I couldn't speak because of her continuous shouting and insults. "Go back to your country! We don't want you here! Why do you insist on staying among us? We don't trust you or anything you represent!" Her screams became more intense, and her red face expressed her immense anger.

It seems that when she saw me prostrating and bowing in my prayer, she was deeply shocked. Her heartbeat accelerated, and she rushed towards me with a face filled with anger, confusion, and fear. She believed I was a terrorist planning to blow up their home. This was due to the hypocritical and anti-Islam media, which created a negative stereotype of Islam and Muslims in her mind. She had never seen me before, which increased her fear and the severity of her reaction.

It was a difficult situation for me; I felt wronged and insulted. All I wanted was to complete my prayer, which is a connection between me and God, in this beautiful place that has become a part of my life. I couldn't understand how someone could judge others so quickly and harshly without knowing them. At that moment, Uncle Johnson hurried out of the villa after hearing the commotion. He said, "What is happening here?" then paused to see his daughter screaming at me. Immediately, he said: "My daughter, stop immediately! What are you doing? How can you behave this way towards others? I did not raise you like this."

She said, "Father, this man should not be here! He is a terrorist, and he is praying in our garden! He is planning something bad."

Mr. Johnson approached her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. "My daughter, Taym is not like that. He is a respected and trustworthy person. He has worked with us and proven his worth." Then he turned to me and said, "I am very sorry for what happened, Taym. Please forgive my daughter, she is just anxious and upset."

Mr. Johnson led his daughter inside, while I stood there trying to comprehend what had just happened. After a few minutes, Mr. Johnson returned to the garden alone. He said to me, "Taym, I apologize again for my daughter's behaviour. She needs some time to understand and accept. I think it would be best if you went home now. I will contact you soon when things have calmed down."

I replied, "Okay, I hope everything will be alright," and then I left. The next two days passed slowly for me as I thought about what had happened. I felt sad and frustrated, but I was confident that Mr. Johnson was a wise man and would try to handle the situation properly.