On the tenth of each month this year our staff meets with all the directors of the three schools and I was delighted to be present for one of these meetings. The main discussion was about the higher price of food and the greater number of children in two of the schools.
Our fourth School cannot open as a school, yet is writing up a program to do activities with children 5 to 13 in the afternoons in the heaviest hit part of Gaza City. They have found a large room with a kitchen, so the children could receive a hot meal and do fun activities. If we accept their program then they will begin in January.
At semester break in mid-January we will have a three day workshop for our 20 teachers that we had planned in August, but the war made us delay it. We visited a UNERWA School one of three in the same area housing people. It was no longer having classes for students but serving 182 families of which 70 live there. Each family has a classroom, three meals a day, a clinic in the building and can get free medicines near.
There is little initiative for people to leave under these conditions. We know one family who we were allowed to visit but were not permitted to take pictures. The four poor families three have handicapped persons one even four of the family are disabled. One of these families is living in their home witch is very damaged, no doors and open wall to the outside. We met many more in the area who lost their entire home and are living is shacks and our two ladies will be visiting them soon to study their needs.
I had a nice visit with Fr. Jorge and stayed as usual with the Missionaries of Charity who we hope to get a washing bed for them for the children and ten wheelchairs. I wished them all a blessed Christmas season. I returned by train which is much cheaper, yet longer too. To all our readers we wish you many joys and blessings these Christmas holidays. May 2015 be a year full of the same for each of you! You are remembered in our prayers.
Sister Susan December 2014
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