Visit January 2018

Fr. Juan and Sr. Susan’s visit Jan. 23 and 24

Sabah decided to have the children’s clothing which we had purchased for them from given in the four pre-schools when we visited. The money not used for food in January was used for these outfits. The children had semester break and so this money was left. Each child received matching shirt and pants or “training” as it is called here. We witnessed firsthand their joy at receiving these outfits.

Each day we visited two schools. We also saw the meals that they were being served and the letters and numbers that they were learning. In November Sabah gave us a list of the needs which each school presented to her. We saw that they were valid needs some children were without a chair, two children shared one little chair, some classrooms did not have enough tables. Others needed rugs for the corners where they played on the floor. None of the schools had electricity at the time we were there. Some classes were very dark. At the Missionaries of Charity, we discovered mats that can be washed easier than rugs so we will try using these mats letting one classroom try them. They are soft, washable and come in pieces.

One school has over 100 children in three classes and many other children are turned away. The children have no space. In this very poor rural area there is no other pre-school. Our dream is to find the financial resources about $15,000 to build a second floor to add classrooms. Hanan the director is a very capable administrator.

Photogallery

We visited three very poor families each of which had one to three mentally disabled children or young adults. Two of these families were living in a room or two without windows, doors, bathrooms and kitchens. You can see the pictures off their homes which tell the story. We had given each two blankets, yet they need much more.

Photogallery

Visit Octobre 2017

I went down in the rain and by the time I got near Gaza the weather cleared and was gorgeous. Sabah and Wassel met me and we began to visit a school at the north with the aim of seeing two schools by day and some poor families.

Al Arabia School was the first where we found the children busy with their number and colors. One set of children played with toys on the rug in each class. Two classes took turns going to the play yard where they sat at tables and each received a delicious apple. This is a real treat as none get any of this costly fruit at home. This school, hopefully this month, will be getting an enlarged Kitchen and the children’s bathroom area will be separated from the kitchen.

After we went to the Saygie area where we found again the children very busy studying. The classrooms were clean and orderly. This school needs boards put along the wall so the children’s work can be put up.

We visited two homes, one of 14 people which included three families. The second home was that of an elderly couple of whom both were suffering from orthopedic problems and neither could barely walk.

Following these visits, Sabah, Wassel and I studied our financial situation to see how we can manage to help some added very poor families who still need food and blankets etc.

I visited Grada who helps in the parish and found that her elderly parents are very weak. Her Father especially needs care most of the day and the night. She was exhausted.

The following day we went to the Middle Camps area where both schools are located. Again, the children were busy at work. This day both schools were serving large buns with chocolate and one school was serving a dish of hot sweet corn also to the children. Each school has some needs for more tables and chairs and such. The same morning Fr. Mario offered us two large round tables and some nice playground equipment and this will be given to one of the schools.

We had some banking to do and were invited to Fawyseh’s for a quick dinner before I left again for the boarder. It was a full two days.

Photogallery

Visit September 19, 2016

Fr. Juan and I went to Gaza just for the day September 19^th. and really covered visiting many places. We began with a visit to Fawyseh's school. Being it is the beginning of the school year there were few children; gradually more will be registering. The children were eating falafel sandwiches which were delicious.

Visit in August 2016

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I spent two days in Gaza the first day joined the 18 teachers of our four pre-schools who met with a music teacher. Our original plan was to have a three day workshop for the 17 teachers so that they could all learn how to animate their children with music and dance.

April 2016, visiting schools

April gave me two Days for visiting our schools as they finish in May for the summer. I was able to visit three of the four pre-schools. I was impressed by the letters and numbers that they have learned. The Ministry of Education gives them the curriculum and it's a great guide for the teachers.

Five days of Lorenzo and Andres in Gaza

Friends, you will find pictures of the visit to Gaza for five days of Lorenzo and Andres. They visited with Sabah several very poor families and also some of our schools especially our newest school which is painted beautifully.

January 2015, Workshop

We offered our 22 teachers three days of learning to create educational tools to work with their children. We provided materials and they shared their ideas from the four pre-schools that we sponsor. The Musadder School hosted the three days. It was a great success as the teachers asked that we repeat this experience in the coming months.

Visit November 2014, 17 and 18

Three of us went down, Br. Joe, Lorenzo and I and Sabah met us at the Palestinian side just in time to help us with our permits to enter. The Al Arabia School we visited first as it is near the border. The school was able to have an NGO sponsor new paint for the classes, so some classes of children were eating outside. Still others were studying inside. The meal was a sandwich due to the painting in process.

Picnic with our four schools

Our end of the year picnic with our four schools was a great occasion to see each other and share a delicious meal. Everyone participated in the meal. The topic of conversation was the political situation now that there is a unity government.

End of year party at school

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Susan Lorenzo

Baram tour El Jana Kindergarten and Zakher

Roberto, Br. Joe  and I went down in April and ended up visiting the Zahar School when they were having a party. The parents had come to see it and the teachers danced with the children. They pulled us into the dance too. It was great fun. The children were in their best cloths for the occasion, these dressy outfits were passed down from child to child and shared with the neighbors.
Sister Susan

The new school of two classrooms

We are proud of our new school of two classrooms. Due to the kindness of the Missionaries of Charity who had closed two classes, gave us tables, chairs, cupboards and toys these classrooms were transformed.

Two day in Gaza: an eye opener! - March 10 and 11, 2014

This time Sabah and Wasel had Fr. Roberto and I busy. The first day we visited eight families all with one member who was ill and often with two or three members who were ill!

Middle Camps region - January 2014 visit

Roberto, Lorenzo and I went for a day’s visit. We went directly to the Middle Camps region and visited three schools. One was Musadder which is our biggest school. The children were busy working despite the loss of electricity, as they have it only 6 hours a day now.

Hard realities to witness first hand - November 26, 2013

This month we had a great visit to two of our pre-schools and all was well. The end of the day we visited two very impoverished families. This is what I want to share with you.

October, a visit of two days, touched by the realities found there

Roberto and Sabah visited three schools and two homes of the sick. The schools found the children hard at their studies. When visiting the sick one lady, a widow, especially touched them as she has no family and is ill with no resources. We will be helping her with much needed medications. Her pictures will be added here.

Visit in Gaza september 20, 2013

We put online photos of our visit in September 2013.

Visit in Gaza feb 12, 2013 - video and photos

Andres was off from his studies and free so he came as our “camera man” and we were delighted to have him. We had a lovely day. We started with going to the Middle Camps area where two of our schools are located. Each School was having a free day with a party. It was great being with the children again and seeing them in action. One school was celebrating the birthdays for all the children who had birthdays that month. Both schools had had renovations during the summer and it was the first time for me to see the great changes. Roberto and others had seen them before. Musadder School now has five classrooms and the ability of taking many more students.

Post war Gaza - visit decembre 4, 2012

It was a cloudy but warm day to visit for the first time after the war in Gaza. Br. Joe and Fr. Roberto got in this time and I didn’t. They visited two of our schools in the middle camps area. These two villages didn’t receive the shelling like Gaza City received, yet was very affected by the rockets also. Many of the children stopped speaking after the trauma of the shelling.

Visit on october 10, 2012

October tenth Roberto and I went to Gaza only to find that his coordination had expired. He wasn’t able to entre so I tried not to delay my visit. Sabah met me as usual and we visited Fawyseh’s school first in the north. The children were busy in the large hall cutting and pasting learning their shapes. After they all received a sandwich of martadella. I will add the pictures of these activities.