The Foreign Service Journal, July/August 2018

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2018 65 forearm and arm. I was admitted for a little over two weeks. I was in a wheelchair during the first two weeks and in bed for two months. My husband and daughter came to the hospital every day to bring me homemade food. My husband left my daughter to give me company and came to fetch her at night; the hospital, for some reason, allowed her to stay during non-visiting hours. I remember she used to help the nurses give me a cloth bath. The staff were very empathetic and nice to me, as well. A lot of people visited me at the hospital. My colleagues, including Foreign Service officers, government officials, church leaders and even people from the street whom I didn’t know, all came to give me their well wishes. In Tanzania it was the first time a terrorist attack involved a bomb of that scale. Everyone had a different story about that day. My colleague Valerie told me that I was very lucky I was not at my desk, because the wall behind my desk fell right on it, and I probably would not have survived. I felt extremely lucky to have survived that day. In fact, a whole series of events saved me, starting with the timing—from the Marine’s delay in opening that door, and the bomb blasting near the gate after I passed, to running for the distant phone call. Had I not been rushing, I would not be writing this note. I thank the Heavens to this day. My heart goes out to those who lost their family members, five guards who lost their lives protecting us, two truck drivers, one cleaner, one gardener and two other public visitors. Noth- ing can replace a life; it is too precious, priceless. Ten days after the attack Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited Dar es Salaam to meet all the injured victims at the hospital. I was pleasantly surprised—this made me feel that the American government valued its employees regardless of their locality. To this day, I respect the American government for its utmost support and care. I have valued life more from that day. I appreciate the value of having a family and friends and never take them for granted. To those who lost loved ones in this event or any other ter- rorist attack, my prayers are with you.