The Power of Loving Support

HFarhad Ahura was 28 when his life turned upside down. A judge in his hometown of Isfahan found him guilty of gathering people in his home and preaching Bahaaism. His punishment was going to be death by hanging. Bahiism is a religion that was founded in Iran by Bahaiullah in 1863. Bahaiullah claimed to be the manifestation of God on earth. The Iranian government has deemed proselytizing this faith a punishable crime. Farhad knew this but hoped that the government won’t get a wind of his doings. On a cold winter’s day, Farhad managed to get released from prison on bail. That night, Farhad, his wife Aarizu and their six-yearold son walked miles to find a safe haven. The first month of their escape was the toughest. Little did Farhad know that his flight was going to last six long years which would take them first to Turkey, then to Canada. In Turkey, Farhad volunteered and helped interpret for Iranians like himself. Farhad and his family moved to Canada thanks to Canada’s refugee asylum program. Soon after their arrival, they visited the Muslim Food Bank to receive help with figuring out the first steps in their new home country. In the initial meeting, caseworker Parvin Rouhani allowed Farhad and Aarizu to pour their hearts out. Farhad detailed the struggles he and his family had to endure over the past several years. It was clear to Parvin that this family suffered from a great deal of trauma and the best way she could help them was by providing emotional support. “It was really hard for them to find themselves,” Parvin recalled. “Speaking about their pastbrought tears to their eyes.” The first year in Canada was bittersweet for Farhad. On the one hand, he was celebrating his wife’s pregnancy. On the other hand, he was told by skin specialists in Vancouver that the skin deformities that were dismissed by Turkish doctors were in fact cancer. Though Farhad had sleepless nights worrying about his health prospects, he requested