Healing Children of Conflict welcomes Iraqi Child wounded from US bombing

Yesterday, the local organization welcomed the arrival of Hamzah Al-Daeni and his father to Grand Rapids in order to receive medical treatment because of the injuries that the now 8 year old boy received when a US bomb exploeded outside of his home in Baghdad, Iraq.

Hamzah’s father spoke passionately about what happened to his son and other members of the family in April of 2008 when the US bomb exploded near their home. The Iraqi man said that he took Hamzah to a nearby hospital where they did work on his son, but initially thought that he would not survive the loss of his legs but the damage done to other parts of his body. Even today Hamzah has bomb shapnel lodged in his body.

Healing Children of Conflict has several doctors who have agreed to providing additional diagnosis for Hamzah and will for sure fit him for a prosthetic for his right leg, which he lost due to the bombing. Hamzah and his father will be staying at the Ronald McDonald House of West Michigan and numerous activities and speaking opportunites will be lined up over the next 6 weeks. If anyone is interested in volunteering, donating or becoming involved in the work of Healing Children of Conflict contact online at www.healingchildrenofconflict.org.

At yesteday’s arrival event there were numerous local news agencies there who reported on Hamzah and his father. The Grand Rapids Press ran a story that includes several pictures, along with each of the three local TV stations – WXMI 17, WZZM 13 and WOOD TV 8.

GRIID also produced a video that includes the presentation from one Healing Children of Conflict member and an interview with an additional representative who spoke to us after the welcoming event.