I used to live in the Baba Siba’a district of Homs with my husband and four children. My husband was an electrician and he earned a living by repairing TVs, washing machines and radios for our neighbours.

Soon after the revolution broke out, my eldest son, Muhammed, decided to join the Free Syrian Army to fight against the regime, but my husband did not.

In one of the raids conducted by government on Bab Siba'a, more than 15 soldiers stormed our house looking for my son and for weapons hidden in the house. They got hold of my husband, who was trying to tell them that we did not have any weapons and did not know where was our son. The soldiers shot him at the front door of the house and when my son came to find out what was going on, he was killed too.

We were only allowed to bury their bodies at night in a hurried ceremony.

I decided to flee Homs for Damascus but it was no better there. Rockets or bombs were falling every hour, and my money had run out. So I decided to come to Jordan with my three children.

When we reached the Za’atari camp we were granted a tent and a food ration card for wheat, sugar and oil.

I was very low. I was haunted by the killing of my son and husband and daily life in the camp was a real hardship. I accepted my fate until last month’s blizzard hit the camp and my tent collapsed.

I was covered in only a blanket with my children. We were waiting in the open air for a new tent. One of the Syrian families who live in Mafraq city in Jordan offered us a place to stay until the weather improved.

Soon afterwards, a Jordanian family in Amman offered us a room in their house and they promised to help me with all my expenses until I get back to Syria.

I feel much better now being out of Za'atari camp. I could not even wash my face in the camp because the bathrooms were so far away, and the queues for shower were so long.

Now, my 16-year-old daughter has enrolled at school, and her expenses are funded by the Jordanian family I live with. They also got me a TV to follow the news in Syria.

I feel optimistic when I hear that the FSA have liberated more areas in Syria and that they have even reached Damascus. I feel my son and husband did not die in vain.

It also gives me the hope that we will go back to our house in Homs.