When we started Little Heroes in Lattakia in 2015, Lisa was one of many displaced children who came to take part. Like each of her peers, Lisa had her own story to tell, but she needed love, time and patience before she would be ready to share it with us. When we first met her, Lisa was very quiet and withdrawn, and her eyes bore more than a hint of the sadness and suffering she had already endured.
The following year, 2016, proved to bring a breakthrough. One of the activities was a competition in a maze, two teams trying to reach the other side first. The children were laughing and shouting, running and tripping, breathless. Happy, innocent and fearless.
Apart from Lisa.