Bahar ALDeen Bakhash could only stare at the ruins of his home in Syria, the bombed-out walls, the collapsed roof and the artistic plaster work he had done by hand, all reduced to rubble.
Through an Arabic interpreter, the Syrian refugee now living in Kitchener said it was a sad moment but he knew he could rebuild.
“It was the beginning of the war,” he said. “We went to Jordan, after the house was destroyed, under a UN program.”
During his four years in Jordan, Bakhash was not able to do as much of the intricate plastering work that made him a highly sought after artisan in his homeland. Then, an unexpected opportunity arose.