Visit in February 2017

Fr. Stan and I joined Sabah and Wasel and our first stop in Gaza was at the El Arabia School where the children were busy learning their letters and some were coloring air-planes. They were eating apples. The kitchen there is very small and needs to be separated from the bathroom area. This will be studied to see if we can make this renovation.

We made some home visits and several of the families had no flooring, only sand under straw mats on the floor. They had only one foset and no running water for the bathroom. Some of the family members needed medicines and the papers for this was given to Sabah. One large family are ordered to leave their home, as they can’t pay the rent. They have no place to go. Sabah will try to help them with this. One family we know well has four handicapped women ages 25 to 45 and the mother who cared for them now has Alzheimer’s herself and needs care. A woman helps them during the day yet they need a person for the night as one of these women gets up and is aggressive toward the others in the night. We went home wondering how we can meet the needs of these families.

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.

Joe, Juan and I visited Gaza Feb. 11, 2015

This was a day visit and the first time there for Fr. Juan. He received some orientation and saw firsthand the results of the war. Our main objective was to meet with Caritas and to see how we could work together to serve the sick.

Visit December 9 and 10th 2014

This visit was two days of meetings, a visit to one of the UNERWA Schools where people are still living and visits to four very poor families.
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.

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.

Lorenzo’s visit September 5, 2014

I found smiling soldiers at the frontier and a whole new procedure of entering. Thanks to Sabah the time to enter was reduced. We met the exceptional “Clown Pimpa” one of whom shares projects and whom organized many spectacles for the children.

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

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.

Visit in Gaza april 10th, 2013

April 10th found Lorenzo and I back in Gaza. Visits to two nursery schools were very encouraging. The children were getting a hot meal. In one school they had rice and meat and in another school they had rice and beans. The children know most of their numbers and their letters. This is where they should be in their preparation for the end of the school year for the five year olds to go on next fall to first grade. In the El Amal school we found that they have one class of Day Care for little ones from six months old to a year and a half. This room needs beds for the 6 children and stimulating toys. These we will try to provide for them in the coming months. This room will be open all summer to serve working mothers.

Visit in Gaza, March 20th, 2013

Lorenzo and I took a new route down which we can use when other roads are blocked. Obama was visiting and some main highways were closed on March 20th.

Visit in Gaza feb 25-26, 2013

Three of us went down for two days: Roberto, Joe and I had great weather to visit the Gaza strip. Sabah met us as usual on the Gaza side. We had some books to give to the school near the border so we went there first. Fawyseh was there to meet us. Two classes of the children were out playing and two classes were inside studying. They were happy to see the new books. The teacher decided to read one right away to them.

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.

June 2012 visit in Gaza

Toward the end of June a group of us went to visit some of the sick as the schools had closed at the end of May. Again we found the situation of gasoline and fuels very serious. People had electricity only six or eight hours daily. It’s had a great effect on life for everyone as water must be pumped to the roof, washing done, computers, cell phones charged and such in this short time, not to mention having no light after dark. 

April 2012 visit in Gaza

April was a month when the gasoline and cooking fuel was very short and got even worse in the months ahead. Here are pictures of some of the lines of cars which were miles long taking people 4 to 6 hours to get gasoline for their cars. Many people had given up the use of their cars due to the price of the gasoline. More and more people used motorcycles. We took many street scenes.

January 2012 visit and meeting in Gaza

January 5th. 2012 - Joe, Thomas and I went down together and had no hitches entering until we found that Joe wasn’t on the Palestinian list in collaboration with the Latin Patriarchate, which states that we are allowed us to enter. Still he was allowed to enter that day much to our relief.

Mid december 2011 visit

This visit was for two days to catch up on the schools especially. I was able to visit all five schools. The children were hard at work in their workbooks given them by the government after they receive their permit. Yet I found that they had no other materials to work with. The last two years we did not have to provide these things, as two other organizations gave them in September for the entire year. Only one school had a few toys the other schools had none.

Many of the larger providers there have stopped their programs due to government controls. For me it was very hard to witness these schools working with almost nothing.

Visit to Gaza September 2011

Due to generous benefactors these last two years we have moved into serving the sick. Last year we were able to assist 152 men, women and children with: medicines, various therapies, transportation cost to have surgery abroad, and orthopedic equipment. Dr. Amena has joined our group in Gaza who helps us assess who are in greater need when it comes to medical aid monthly. Her knowledge and connections there help the sick receive benefits from other medical NGOs in their region.

Pictures of latest visit in september 2011.

July 2011 Visit

Pictures of our visit in july 2011

November visit on All Souls Day

(The French translation below) Two families griped our hearts. They are both in Gaza City and each has a unique story. A handsome boy of ten, I will name him, Ahmad, with a slow but nice smile met us on our arrival to their home. We have visited many homes and very poor ones. This one was no different as this family of eight lived on the third floor of a building needing basic repairs.

Ahmad was playing in a local center for children, a club, where they could play afternoon after school when a shell entered the building landing beside him, which caused a fire. He was burned in the stomach and thy. It is two years since this tragic event, Ahmad has received treatment for his burns yet need a specially treated garment to cover the burns to enable the skin to heal. This garment must come from Germany and will be applied to the damaged areas.