Survivor

I interviewed this wonderful 80-year-old woman, Ghatheyya Mifleh al-Khawalda, for this week's narrative. She is a survivor of the Nakba of 1948. She was fifteen years old when she was forced to flee her home with her mother and sister.

We sat for a long time in Ghatheyya's living room. Her grandson, Saleh, played near us and climbed onto her lap from time to time for some affection. He was fascinated by my camera, so I gave him my keys to distract him. Of course, when we were in the car on the way back to the office, we received a phone call to say that my keys had been found in his bedroom.

I was glad to have the opportunity to return to the house, because it gave me a chance to photograph Ghatheyya with her husband, Ahmed.

She was a very warm person. As we were leaving, she asked the translator and me when we would return to have lunch with her and her family. She told us, "I knew I loved you, the moment I saw you."