News Bits for April and May 2009

April brought a new pastor to Gaza Fr. George and this month he was orientated by Fr. Manuel who had spent 14 years as pastor of the Catholic church. Fr. George is from Argentina and has studied Arabic which he speaks well. May one, he took over his parish from Fr. Manuel who left for his retirement in Ramallah.

Our prayers accompany him and Fr. George as they both continue their journeys to holiness in Ramallah and in Gaza.We made four or five visits to Gaza these months visiting each of our schools and visited some families the regions devastated by the war. One would expect to find some improvement since the war. Due to no building materials being allowed in the situation remains the same.

The only change was seeing the iron rods which were twisted in the ruins were removed to be sold. Gas and gasoline were available now for those who could afford it. Donkeys and carts are as commons as cars now on the roads. Vegetables and fruits are being harvested and sold. The prices are low, which is good for the poor, yet very bad for the farmers. Some items of necessity come in still by the tunnels at the south.

We are able to continue to run our programs due to the presence and good organizational skills of Sabah. The nursery schools all closed at the end of this month; we were able to be at the end of the year party in one of the schools. By the end of June the summer camps begin in the same buildings for elementary age children. This summer we will be able to sponsor 8 camps each for 60 children for two weeks.

When visiting the poor families, who receive food monthly from us, three teenage boys were found to need eye surgery. So far we have the funding for one boy and hope to be able to send all three from different families and regions for surgery. Some may have to go to Egypt for it.

The security is all dependent on Hamas gunmen posted at intersections of Gaza City holding automatic riffles. Sabah for example doesn't allow her teenage children out unaccompanied.

Spirits there are low; people feel restricted and imprisoned at every turn. As Pentecost arrives may the Spirit's presences be felt, both Muslim and Christian find the strength to go on together without bitterness, but with hope.

Sr. Susan and Team

Miscellaneous Photos January-May 2009

Visit to Gaza with the new pastor - March 1-3, 2009

Visit to Gaza with the new pastor

Report: Visit February 19 th.

Br. Renzo and Fr. Don and I arrived a bit early and still had to wait an hour or more to enter. This day John Kerry was also visiting the Strip. We met to congressmen who were to join Kerry for the day.
First we went to the Zitun nursery school and visited the classes. They shared with us their needs as it was a different building for them. After the war they were not allowed by the owner of the last building to return as they have been threatened by Hamas during the war. Here was saw a little boy of five who was speechless ever he was torn from the arms of his father during the war. The teachers are working with him to begin to talk, enter into the activities of his class and to play.
Following briefly two of us went to an AIDA meeting to coordinate relief efforts in Gaza in which the major relief organizations participated. We were brought up to date on recent events.
Fr. Don what hadn't seen the destruction after the war so he went with the driver to see the area worst hit in the north. He saw the ruins of the American School which had cost five million dollars to build.
We left early to be at the frontier before it closed early that day.

Photogallery Gaza Visit - 19 feb 2009

Visit to Gaza 19 feb 2009

Gaza after three weeks of sheeling

The post war situation in Gaza is critical; it is truly a humanitarian crisis for the million and a half people. Half off this population are under 17 years old. Before the war the people were cut off from basic necessities such at cooking gas, electricity, clean water and basic foods. During the three week of shelling from the sea, air and ground the situation only worsened as again the boarders were closed to medicines and all relief organizations. Half to sixty percent of the population are refugees from the various wars. One can’t tell what a village is and what is a refuge camp, most the people are very poor. Half of the schools are government run schools and half are the UN UNRWA schools. The economy broke in June of 2006 when Israel boycott closed the boarders to basic foods, fuel and materials.
A little team of 6 religious of several different communities called the Daughter's of Charity Gaza Project, (in the beginning we were only Daughters), began assisting the people. After an assessment study and with the guidance of Catholic Relief Service who were well established in Gaza we partnered with private little nursery schools mainly in rural area and refugee camps. Being that they came to school hungry we provided a breakfast. In 2006 with the boycott of the Strip we knew people were hungry, so we began to distribute food parcels to the most needy in three of the regions were the schools which we partnered with were located. The volunteer help of each school located the poorest families. Food coupons eventually replaced food parcels allowing the families to choose the food best fitting to their needs. This second project continued even through out the war were local volunteers risk their lives to distribute food to families during the shelling. Only canned food was given as the people had no cooking gas to prepare their food. The schools were closed during the war.
A few days ago Andrea, Lorenzo and I visited the most devastated areas. We found ourselves humbles before people with nothing. In front of one collapsed building were four women with babies in their arms husbands were killed only a few days ago leaving 24 children without fathers? These four families had nothing. Everything they owned was buried in the sand and rubble of the building. They only had the cloths on their back. Tents had been provided for them. We were able to leave them a bit of money for dishes, pots and pans, and clothing and assured them that they would be getting food.
Thousand of people are homeless. Their stories are hard to believe as man's immorality to others was boundless. One whole family of 30 were taken out in the night and interrogated and killed one by one. A lone baby was spared, found, and also killed. Even the people's animals were all shot; we saw fields of dead cows. Near some of the building the stench told us of the bodies still not found beneath. Some of the children in the nursery schools faces were expressionless due to the three weeks of shelling. Pray with us for peace and healing of minds and hearts. May the world community join us as the political jumbo can only be saved by the healer of hearts, the Lord, Himself.

Sr. Susan Sheehan DC, February 7, 2009

Photogallery: Visit to Gaza Strip after the war

Visit to Gaza Strip after the war

The ruins of Gaza after the war

Beit Hanun school - Gaza strip after the war

Christmas with the christian children in Gaza

Christmas with the christian children in Gaza

December 2009 events

This month I am writing on the 9 th. and up to this date we still have no permission to enter, nor has journalists and other NGOs been allowed in. Now there only a few hours of electricity is given during the week. People will be receiving food twice this month, due to not getting theirs in November. We regret that they didn't have the November distribution before the feast of Adahak which was the 8 th., yesterday.