I recently returned from a 2-week volunteer trip to the West Bank. I went through an organization called Love Volunteers who teamed with up with Paidia, an organization in Bethlehem that works with Palestinian youth. Paidia offers many different volunteer opportunities. I spent my two weeks volunteering at the Al Basma Center, a special education center for handicapped youth and young adults.
Here are some pictures of the clients who's lives have been changed by Basma and her staff.
Meet George. With the best smile around, this guy never ceased to make my day 🙂
Meet Sena. He was my hero. The morning of the first day was slightly uncomfortable because I was the only one working who spoke English. When Sena arrived, he went right to the stereo, turned on some music and started singing and dancing! The day went up hill from there.
I couldn't pronounce this girl's name…it was way too many syllables. But we would have 5 minute conversations every day. She would speak in Arabic and I would speak in English. I didn't understand a thing she said, but she would nod when I spoke. I think she just wanted someone to listen to her, and I was eager for a friend.
The staff at the center teach the clients how to complete different projects. They spend two hours each morning doing different workshops. I couldn't believe how capable and talented they were!
Making necklaces…
Using old sheets to make rugs…
Weaving with an actual loom. Very, very difficult. They were so good at it!!
Recycling cardboard and paper to make Christmas cards.
Upstairs, they run a day care. My first week at the center was pretty uneventful. The clients had the week off so we mostly spent time preparing for their return. My roommate, Alejandra, and I had been working in the green house (with a midday temperature of almost 100 degrees, it's only possible to work in there for the first hour of the day) and when we finished, we sat outside to take a break.
While we were resting in the shade, we heard the growing sound of little voices. We glanced towards a large red door and as it opened, several little faces peaked out! A handful of toddlers trickled out, one after the other. We suddenly had all the energy in the world! We were ready to play! However, the little ones were hesitant as they stared at us, strangers on their turf. We started playing with some balls, pretending not to notice them. They watched with interest for a few moments and then waddled onto the grass to join us. I can't share this story without pictures…so here are the faces of those kids who made our week 🙂
This precious little girl was all smiles despite having chicken pox.
After getting back from Israel last summer during a service-learning trip with Malone, I knew I would be going back. The injustice that so many Palestinians face at the hands of the Israeli military (home demolitions, crop burnings, land confiscation, limited access to water, lower work wages, checkpoints that can at times make getting around nearly impossible, children thrown into prison without trials or known release dates, etc) was something I had been blind to prior to visiting Israel, but it quickly became something I couldn't ignore after coming home.
So I went back…
No, I didn't protest the wall. I didn't stand up to the soldiers. I didn't have conversations with people of power.
I played with children.
I helped love people with disabilities.
I worked alongside the Christian and Muslim women who have dedicated their lives to improving the livelihood of the outcasts of their society.
I hopefully encouraged them that not all Americans support what Israel has done and is doing to them.
…that we do not hate them simply because they are Palestinian.
The people I met were not terrorists. They weren't violent or full of hate. They are victims, too – just like the Jews. But they have failed to be recognized as such.
Time and time again the world has said that we won't let it happen again. I pray that years down the road we aren't looking back and saying the same thing about this situation and what's been done to the Palestinians.
"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galations 3:28
