Tuesday’s Child Blog

Following Yonder Star to Gaza – Day 8
Tuesday 12th January 2010

It’s 7.30 a.m. and cold and wet in Gaza this Tuesday morning. I look out on the port and wonder how the fishermen fared last night for there was shooting again on the sea. Their day’s work is done now. Some will be enjoying a cup of tea with their friends, others will be at the market. I hope they are all safe.

Early morning view

Our first stop this morning is to top on the sweets. As with everything we buy in Gaza, we try and purchase in places that seem to be in need of business most. This morning we share our business between two small shops in the same street in an old part of Gaza city.

Topping up on the sweets from one shop

Lollipops from another shop

On now to the convent of the Missionary Sisters of Charity, where I stayed on my first visit into Gaza in August 2008. I notice a picture of Mother Theresa on the wall when she visited Gaza some years ago and, facing her, a young Pope John Paul 11. I pray to them both to intercede for peace and justice for the people of this war-torn strip. I reflect on the wisdom of Mother Theresa when asked how she fed so many people, she answered very simply, “one at a time”. Here in the convent, we are referred to several families who need support and assistance. The sisters here do wonderful work among the poor and the needy. They have a nursery for children with disabilities, a kindergarden school and a home for the destitute elderly. Ricky pops in there and sings them a few Irish songs and we leave sweets into the school and a donation to the sisters.

Our next stop is with Holy Family School in Gaza city and its director Fr Jorge Hernandez, a young Argentinian priest, who leads the catholic community here and is doing great work with the children and young people. Fr Jorge welcomes us and gives us a tour. The school is attended by both Christian and Muslim children. The school has many needs, monies for teaching salaries, school books and supplies for children, equipment for the school. We are shown into a computer room for children, in urgent need of new computers. We give Fr Jorge a donation for the children in his parish. He thanks us graciously. He also asks for more prayer for Gaza and we promise to share his request for prayer back at home and further afield.

Holy Family School, Gaza City

We leave the school and travel to the Christian camp. Here, we meet with The Little Sisters of Jesus, a French order, who live here in solidarity with the people. Their small convent is a little oasis of peace in the middle of extreme hardship. Here again, we learn of many more starving families in need of assistance.

We pass one of the many donkey drawn carts laden with smiling children here. Children in Gaza go to school in two shifts, each school doubles as two schools, so these children must have finished school for the day. Outside another group of makeshift tents, older boys gather off to fly a kite. Kites are popular in Gaza and here at the end of July, children broke a kite flying record in the Guinness book of records, an initiative organised by UNRWA. I recall a more sinister statistic in 2008, where 4 boys were shot dead on the beach while flying a kite. Such killings here rarely make the international news.

Smiling children on pony drawn cart

Older boys gather outside temporary homes to go kite flying

A group of temporary homes

From the Christian camp, onto Latatra again, in Northern Gaza, to meet another family, who have approached us seeking help. Again, the war that ravaged this area is still evident on each side, piles of rubble on each side, and houses destroyed and still 12 months on unrepaired. Other houses, still standing clearly show the marks of war, one we pass is riddled with holes.

Further along the road, a man stands in the rubble. We slow down and I ask him if I can take his picture and he agrees. “This was my home”, he says. In the background I notice a woman and child peering out from behind a makeshift door to their home, a home without a roof. Terrible that people are expected to be able to live like this. We make a note to come back and visit this family.

House riddled with holes

Living in the rubble, one year on

Mother and child in the rubble of their home

More to come...

If you are in a position to help any of the families we met during our time in Gaza, please contact us at info@tuesdayschild.co.uk or donate online here »