Early January Visit 2017

I went down a sunny Monday morning and as usual Sabah and Wasel met me at the border. We visited Fawyseh's School first and were impressed by the serious studies going on and the music being taught by one teacher in preparations for Mother's Day in February. Nice red apples were the treat for the day. We visited the little kitchen which needs to be enlarged and saw how it must be separated from the bathrooms. That's the next project for this school.

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.

Lorenzo visits Gaza, December 16, 2015

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

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.

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.

Summer 2013

We went to Gaza for several days in June and several days in July. In August we went down just for a day. Many of our team was away for part of the summer yet our three projects continued. Sabah had hoped to travel, yet with the unstable political situation it was impossible. June and August were spent in visiting homes where we were able to replace faulty corrugated tin roofs.

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 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.

January 17, 2013 - three poor families

Roberto went down by himself and had a great day. He and Sabah visited three very poor families. These families have a child in one of the pre-schools which we help or are a family who has had a lot of sickness whom we have assisted. Home visits by our social worker and Sabah have brought to our attention how difficult it is for a family when their home is not protected from the cold and especially the rain.

Poor families in Gaza city

December 15, 2012 - Lorenzo and Andres with the coworkers of Andrea's made a visit with the Patriarch just before Christmas and spent most of one day with Sabah visiting five poor families. Andres took these great pictures. You can see their poverty and at the same time the beauty of the children with their shy smiles. We are helping four families now with roof repairs as the winter rains soak the interior of their homes, it's hard to know how they have managed until now!

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.