One incident that still gets to me,
Happened when I was in 10th grade in 1993.
It was during Ramadan.
It happened during an Arabic lesson,
Which took place at the library.
The teacher played a tape about the punishments of the grave.
I, in addition to another student, were the only Chrisitians in the classroom.
The sheikh on the tape was insulting Christianity.
So we excused ourselves from the library,
Because we didn’t like hearing those insults.

That was just the beginning.
The other student decided to make an official complaint.
It reached the minister.
They started an investigation with us,
And we appeared in the newspapers.
The school was put on administrative work.
Our colleagues in class wouldn’t sit next to us,
They’d insult and humiliate us.
Some people called us “cockroaches” and “insects.”
Others would spit on us when they saw us.
All because we refused to stay quiet,
When our religion was being defamed and insulted.

After the investigation,
The principal applauded the girls who had originally brought the tape to school during the morning assembly.
She said that they “carried in their hearts their belief in one God.”
It was as if we were in some sort of holy battle.