tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83314063753421023002024-03-13T23:29:20.099-07:00Collateral Repair ProjectCollateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comBlogger152125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-64351059338870536342012-05-16T01:26:00.000-07:002012-05-16T01:26:18.164-07:00CRP KIDS' READING CLUB "LIONS" SUPERSTARS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Big applause for these kids who read and reported on the most books in their club</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-48204587658054470942011-11-04T23:22:00.000-07:002011-11-04T23:22:38.950-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">When Um M and two of her children arrived in Jordan a year ago, they rented a tiny flat in extremely bad condition. But when her husband and 3 other sons fled to Jordan two months ago, the landlord told them to move as the flat was too small for so many people. Um M had only been receiving a small UNHCR monthly assistance for her and the two children but this was barely enough for just the three of them to scrape by and would not be enough to buy food for her family now that there were four more mouths to feed. It certainly would not be enough to pay rent on a larger flat.</span><span style="float: none;"></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iIT7IqCjs4U/TrTIbe-S9vI/AAAAAAAABlM/QyR92mP8WrU/s1600/um+m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iIT7IqCjs4U/TrTIbe-S9vI/AAAAAAAABlM/QyR92mP8WrU/s200/um+m.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;">She went with her husband and the other children to UNHCR right away to request that they be added to the family file so that the monthly grant could be increased. A problem at UNHCR resulted in the family not receiving the increase for this month -- and in fact, causing them to not receive even the smaller amount. They were informed that things will be taken care of and that they can expect to receive the grant at end of November -- but not for the lost month. How were they to survive for an entire month without any income? </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y89Qx2xDJeU/TrTNReIGgUI/AAAAAAAABls/MM-NYxON1Do/s1600/307878_10150444704577814_178552452813_10710478_1821790990_n+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y89Qx2xDJeU/TrTNReIGgUI/AAAAAAAABls/MM-NYxON1Do/s200/307878_10150444704577814_178552452813_10710478_1821790990_n+%25281%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HdWS2Em8nlA/TrTIUNGfSFI/AAAAAAAABlE/ZGxB_ikdM1A/s1600/entry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HdWS2Em8nlA/TrTIUNGfSFI/AAAAAAAABlE/ZGxB_ikdM1A/s200/entry.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;">They had moved into a larger flat (pictured) and had promised the new landlord that he would receive the rent money. When they were unable to pay the rent, he was threatening to throw them out -- this, in the days just before Eid - a Muslim holiday as significant as Christmas is to many westerners.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0E6VOi7B_x8/TrTIL9dxWVI/AAAAAAAABk8/hsQpleYC0m0/s1600/girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0E6VOi7B_x8/TrTIL9dxWVI/AAAAAAAABk8/hsQpleYC0m0/s200/girl.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; line-height: 14px;">Um M did not approach CRP for help -- even though the family was in such dire straits. Because she and her children attend CRP classes and activities, she knew that CRP is struggling to keep our doors open and we are very concerned that we may have to close at the end of the month. Instead, we found out when we called Um M to ask why she did not come to an activity she was enrolled in. Only then did she tell us that she could not come because she was dealing with this crisis. Her family had no food; they had sold anything they had of value just to raise what ever they could toward trying to pay the rent. She had even sold a 3 kilo bag of sugar from their pantry. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;">Not only this, but because of their financial problems, her two eldest sons had dropped out of school a month ago, taking a job cleaning toilets, trying to make money to pay the rent and put food on the table. At the end of the month of grueling work, they went to the boss to be paid and he told them that there was no pay, that they are Iraqis and could go ahead and go to the police if they wanted but they would be the ones in trouble, not him. Iraqi refugees are not allowed to work in Jordan and this type of exploitation is horrifically too common. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;">The entire family felt beaten down and hopeless at this point, terrified they were going to be put out on the street.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">A friend of CRP visited our center the next day, delivering a carload of gently used, donated clothes and household items she had collected from friends and family.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">We told her about this family's dire situation and our deep concern for them -- and our frustration that we could not help. After we took the donated items from her car and put them in the distribution room, we decided to take her to visit Um M and her family as they live just a few doors down from our building.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">She met with the family, asked questions about their situation and listened to Um M tell of their hardships. Typical of Iraqis, Um M would end each telling of a sad or terrifying event in the family's saga as refugees with "al-Hamdolelah" (Thanks to God), always remembering to be grateful, even when life presents seemingly insurmountable challenges.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;">We all wanted to make sure this family was not evicted and that they had food on the table. Our friend said she would talk to her friends and family to see if anyone could help. CRP contacted several other NGOs to find out if they had any way of helping. One of the NGOs said they might be able to help and made an appointment for the following morning. We were all hopeful that a solution had been found.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;">Um M called us after this appointment. The NGO said that they might be able to help -- but that it would take a few days for a decision to be made and then, only after Eid (a four day holiday). The landord was not willing to wait and we were back where we started.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;">Thankfully, our friend was able to rally her friends to come to the rescue. Together, through their generosity and caring, enough funds were gathered to pay the rent and for the family to eat until the end of the month -- overnight! She delivered the aid directly to the family this morning. I stopped by to visit them a little while later and found the atmosphere in the house was entirely different than it had been just two days ago. The children were smiling and Um M's eyes were filled with tears of gratitude and relief. Not only did these kind people rescue this family from homelessness, they had ensured that the family would not have an empty table for Eid. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;">CRP wants to express our deepest and sincerest gratitude to our caring friend who took it on herself to raise the funds and to everyone who,, with her,, came together to help this family. Without your kindness, what would they have done? Our words can never be enought o tell you how much we appreciated your saving this family from the deep crisis. We share with we know is only a small percent of the relief and thankfulness that this family feels, we know - but it is one less family of the so many who are in as desperate need right now, and who we cannot help because donations have plummeted in the past two months. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;">We are at great risk of having to close our doors and end our vital support of Iraqis here soon if we don not get enough support. This terrifies us for families like this one, who have relied on us to rescure them when there were no other resources. We are witnessing the closure of other small organziations that have been a resource for Iraqis here, or larger, international NGOs going through severe cutbacks in their aid programs. What will happen if we all leave? Their situation is so dire now, it's impossible to imagine.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;">Please consider helping CRP remain a life-line for destitute Iraqi refugees in Jordan. Any amount, small or large, will make a difference. We especially ask you to consider becoming a monthly donor. If enough of you pledge to give even a small amount monthly, we can be assured of keeping our doors open and aid available for the most needy. You can sign up to be a monthly donor or make a single contribution today here: www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; line-height: 14px;">Thank you and Eid Mubarak to all of our Muslim friends.</span></span><br />
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</span></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-39571242021577828932011-08-27T12:26:00.000-07:002011-09-04T19:25:11.702-07:00SCHOOL DAYS - UPDATED<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">September approaches and, like everywhere else, the store shelves here in Medford, Oregon, are stocked with back-to-school supplies. As I watch the moms go through the aisles with kids in tow, checking off items from their shopping lists, I remember how September was always a season faced with mixed emotions – regret that summer vacation was over, blending with the excitement of a fresh start, of seeing old friends and making new ones, curiosity about the new teacher, new class room. But it was something else too, something more subtle -- it was verification that you’d accomplished something important and achieved a new status in the hierarchy of childhood. You were, well, more <i>educated</i> than you were last year.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s almost inconceivable that education could be put at risk by the price of a school uniform or a few note books and pencils. I can’t imagine telling a child of mine that she can’t go to school because you have no money to buy the required school supplies. But that’s what Iraqi refugees too often face. And, it’s a hard fact that when a child misses one or two years of school, the likelihood that they’ll ever return to school is low.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">That's why we're raising money to purchase required school uniforms and supplies for 20 Iraqi refugee children. You can help give these kids a fresh start and bring them hope for their future by donating at <a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate </span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We'll be updating our graph below on a daily basis, so check back here to see our progress, or go to our Collateral Repair Project Face Book Page. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XteOEsL0Mv0/TmQxH4ewVXI/AAAAAAAABkw/w5A_YkzNCxA/s1600/school+supplies+progress+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XteOEsL0Mv0/TmQxH4ewVXI/AAAAAAAABkw/w5A_YkzNCxA/s640/school+supplies+progress+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate">www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate</a></span></div><br />
</div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-73321132473252232762011-08-12T11:37:00.000-07:002011-08-12T11:37:15.223-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-swWuuOxCjsw/TkVtnLfJp2I/AAAAAAAABko/N8BwiJcXBHs/s1600/Womens+Literacy+class+GOAL+MET.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-swWuuOxCjsw/TkVtnLfJp2I/AAAAAAAABko/N8BwiJcXBHs/s640/Womens+Literacy+class+GOAL+MET.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c;"><b><span style="background-color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></b></span><br />
<h2 style="line-height: 15pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Illiteracy Rate in Iraq Climbs among Highest in the Region<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></h2><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c;"><b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;">"One in five Iraqis between the ages of 10 and 49 cannot read or write a simple statement related to daily life[1]. While Iraq boasted a record low illiteracy rate for the Middle East in the 1980s, illiteracy jumped to at least 20% in 2010[2]. Moreover, illiteracy among women in Iraq, at 24%, is more than double that of men (11%)" Full article at: </span></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black;"> </span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;"><a href="http://www.ncciraq.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=111&lang=en">http://www.ncciraq.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=111&lang=en</a></span></span><br />
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</div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-41765481740310463202011-06-20T13:25:00.000-07:002011-06-20T13:39:20.311-07:00World Refugee Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Today is <strong>World Refugee Day</strong>. Like most issue days, this one will come and go with the usual level of dutiful, if somewhat mechanical, attention. UNHCR will comment, an automated email from the State Department will appear in my inbox containing an official statement, and concerned organizations will host fundraisers, hoping to capture a moment of the world's short attention span.<br />
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Last year on this date, the Iraqi refugees that I met in Jordan adopted a grim sense of humor surrounding June 20th, accompanied at times by anger. "Do we say 'Happy Refugee Day,' or 'Sorry you're a refugee?'" one asked, followed by, "We know we're refugees. We don't need a day for it." For the world's 10.4 million refugees, every day is refugee day. Every hour is more time spent in an impossible situation, worrying about the future and waiting on a resolution.<br />
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In volunteering with Collateral Repair Project, a small NGO that provides assistance to Iraqis in Jordan, I've heard many variations of the refugee narrative. Individually, the stories are piercing and demand all of a room's emotional energy. During home visits, the director and I breathe in and glance at each other nervously when the household head tears up and the family story begins to spill into the room. Lumped together in the mass of the Iraq war's debris, they meld into one blurry, tortured backdrop of war. They become part of our matter-of-fact conversation as we file family profiles. The son whose eye was gouged out as a warning to his father; the severly disabled child affected prenatally by U.S. use of uranium; the widow who searched through a room of body bags to find the chopped up body of her husband; the man who saw dogs eat the body of a dead countryman in Baghdad. You get the picture (and possibly wish that you didn't).<br />
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Each of these stories (and so many others) is attached to a person who currently lives in Amman, powerless over their own situation, waiting for the policies and procedures to work in their favor. Barred from employment in Jordan, many live in desperate poverty, and U.N. aid isn't anywhere close to meeting the need of the estimated 500,000 Iraqis here, and 1.8 million in the region. (Whether the U.N. can not or will not meet the need is another matter). Meanwhile, a smattering of NGOs is scrambling to fill the gaps and still falls pitifully short.<br />
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The young adults are especially affected, having no money for higher education and seeing their lives indefinitely placed on hold. Resettlement creeps along and is not an attainable resolution for many families. For the few that are accepted into the program, the process can take years and is not guaranteed. When I was here last summer, I knew at least two families who were said to be "in line" for resettlement. One had already been assigned a country - a positive step. When I returned to Jordan ten months later, I found those families still here and still "in line."<br />
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Iraqis are often subjected to discrimination in Jordan, regularly experiencing petty incidents like taxi fare rip-offs, and are vulnerable to false accusations; Iraqis are often presumed guilty until proven otherwise. Their situation is not helped by the world's waning interest as donors tire of Iraq's never-ending saga. Many of the families with which we work lived solidly middle class lives in Iraq as professionals, business owners, or trade workers. They are eager to find employment, to resume a stable life for their children, and to contribute to society, if given the opportunity.<br />
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If we cannot yet make Iraq safe enough for them to return, then we must create a safe home for them elsewhere. The U.S., being the precipitator of this crisis, has to take the lead in its resolution, either by significantly increasing its acceptance of families for resettlement, or by creating dramatic improvements in conditions for Iraqis in Jordan and Syria. They need substantial and <em>sustained</em> funding for basic emergency food and rent assistance, trauma counseling, legal protection, and education scholarships. None of these offers of support can replace a home lost or a relative dead, but can provide these war weary families with a hopeful, if altered, future.<br />
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<em>Lucy Perkins is a 2011 graduate of Tufts University and a volu</em></span><em style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">nteer with Collateral Repair Project in Amman, Jordan.</em><br />
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</tbody></table></span></div></div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-244465440838245902011-06-01T18:49:00.000-07:002011-08-15T17:58:18.484-07:00ZAINAB REVISITED<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9p8Ffefxsvk/TebrmERsm0I/AAAAAAAABkk/fEIfuikbR0E/s1600/two+new+EA+cases+end+of+029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9p8Ffefxsvk/TebrmERsm0I/AAAAAAAABkk/fEIfuikbR0E/s200/two+new+EA+cases+end+of+029.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Yesterday was one of the kinds of days that I live for. It was warm, sunny, just gorgeous. A perfect day, in fact, to visit Zainab and her children, a new family CRP is helping. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Previously we wrote about how we met Zainab and her 4 children – 13 year old Fadi, 10 year old Aisha, and the 4 year old twin girls, Abeer and Fadwa. They’d come to our door asking for help a couple of weeks ago. The family had been in Jordan for a little over a month, having fled sectarian violence and threats due to Zainab and her husband Jamal’s intermarriage. </div><div class="MsoNormal">The family came to Amman totally unprepared, having no idea of the trials and hardships awaiting them. It certainly didn’t help when a rental agent swindled them by renting them an overpriced apartment. Since then, they had found a lower priced flat, but they exhausted the meager amount of money they brought with them from Iraq. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Their new apartment, considering its very low price, is surprisingly spacious, clean and comfortable. They greeted us with smiles and invited us to come in. This was when we discovered that although this family had managed to find a better living arrangement, they had absolutely no furniture or household items. Their only possessions were their suitcases sitting against a wall, and the only other thing in the flat was a naked bed frame left there by the landlord. </div><div class="MsoNormal">The situation was dire, indeed. This family’s needs were so extensive that we called another NGO, and because of our excellent relationship with them, they immediately responded to our request to help this family. They agreed to provide them with sleeping mats, a countertop gas cooker and some cleaning supplies, and we took Jamal with us on a shopping trip to pick up some other needed items, including a cooking gas cylinder, pillows and blankets, pots and pans and other things. </div><div class="MsoNormal">The family positively glowed when we returned with a van loaded with things for their new flat. The atmosphere was like a party as each new addition to their new home was unpacked. Zainab, Jamal and the kids were beaming. A step back from the darkness into the light of hope never looked brighter or more promising. </div><div class="MsoNormal">The other NGO gave them a small gift certificate to use at a modestly-priced local department store for the children’s clothing, and we arranged for 2 large bottles of drinking water to be delivered – the tap water in Amman is not safe to drink. We also provided the family an adequate amount of cash to buy enough food to last for a month. </div><div class="MsoNormal">The family’s relief radiated from their smiling faces and seemed to fill the room. It was like sunshine breaking through clouds, to see parents no longer worried about how they would care for their children’s basic needs. The whole family no longer had to worry about how they would eat or how they could possibly sleep on a stone floor. For most of us, it’s hard to imagine ever being in such a predicament, being totally destitute and with no possessions other than a suitcase full of clothes - wondering what will happen next and how we’ll survive…wondering how our kids will survive. </div><div class="MsoNormal">We talked with the family about their lives both before and after the 2003 US invasion. They spoke of the chaos the war brought to Iraq – the gangs, the rampant violence, the lawlessness. Zainab told us about one incident in particular that traumatized young Fadi when he was only six years old – the little boy was outside playing when he saw one man kill another with a knife right in front of him. Since then, Fadi has suffered from nightmares every night.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Zainab’s dark eyes once again shone with tears as she spoke about the family’s life in Iraq. Zainab was a teacher and school administrator; her husband Jamal told us about his job as an engineer. They had lived in comfort, their children were doing well in school, and their careers were satisfying and brought them a good income. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Zainab mentioned her extensive experience in teaching Arabic, and as fate would have it, we’d been looking for someone who would be able to teach an Arabic literacy course. We asked her if she would be interested, and she happily agreed, saying she would do it for free. </div><div class="MsoNormal">We suggested something a little different – that her teaching would be in exchange for our continuing help until the family receives its cash assistance from UNHCR. This restores Zainab’s dignity and identity, and we’re so glad to have found the teacher we needed! </div><div class="MsoNormal">We will also pay for a critically-needed medical exam for Zainab (very inexpensive by western standards) and for medications needed by her and Fadi for chronic medical conditions. And of course, we have invited the family to join us for CRP programs and activities at our center. This will help them to make friends that are a crucial source of emotional support within the Iraqi refugee community. We’re looking forward to having them join us!</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is what can be accomplished with contributions from compassionate and caring people. A family was given back hope for their future. A good outcome for a day’s work on our part, and what a beautiful result for the donors who care about Iraqi refugee families. Thank you from all of us, to all of you.</div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-35072230687575167322011-05-23T11:15:00.000-07:002011-05-23T11:15:40.317-07:00Exploitation to Desperation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Recently, while having an informal planning meeting at our main center, a woman and her four young children came to CRP’s door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Zainab’s face showed her weariness as she began telling us her family’s story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They arrived in Amman about 6 weeks ago, having been forced to flee because she and her husband belong to different religious sects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d received death threats from local militia and decided to leave, taking with them only their clothes and around $1,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they arrived in Amman, they visited a real estate broker who charged them a large fee and found them an apartment which cost $500, half the money they’d brought with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After staying there for a month, they moved to a less expensive apartment but are now down to their last $200.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal">It is common for Iraqis new to Amman to be exploited by persons looking to profit from their predicament.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless a refugee family has friends or relatives<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to help them, they usually have no idea of what to expect when they come here; they don’t know how much or little to pay for an apartment, and they don’t know how to go about finding one, so they go to brokers, who often cheat them.</div><div class="MsoNormal">I watched Zainab’s face as she spoke in Arabic to Ghazwan about what she and her family have endured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her dark eyes became glasslike with unshed tears, and her weariness and anxiety mapped her features with shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal">She told how, on their way out of Iraq, she and the children saw bodies lying by the roadside, attesting to the continued atmosphere of violence and horror in Iraq. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kids, so traumatized by the sound of gunfire and explosions, are fearful and upset whenever they hear the sound of fireworks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her husband assumed he would be able to find a job quickly in Amman; they weren’t aware that Iraqi refugees cannot work here legally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also believed that UNHCR cash assistance would be available immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sasha informed her that the process can take many months and that there is no guarantee that their application will be approved. Zainab’s face was a portrait of shock and disappointment when hearing this news. She left a 19-year career as a school administrator, a job that paid well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, she and her family have almost no money left, no way to pay next month’s rent and utilities, and no way to buy food.</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is a common scenario here; a family flees with nothing more than their clothes, a few personal belongings and whatever cash they have on hand, and they have no idea of what awaits them or how they will cope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The application for refugee status is tortuously slow, its outcome uncertain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This family could wait months, or a year or longer, for an outcome on their applications, and in the meantime there is very little help for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will be visiting this family soon to assess their situation more fully and to see what help we can provide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ghazwan had the difficult task of explaining to Zainab that due to the reduced number of donations we’ve received, we are not sure of how much assistance we can give her family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have many families here whose circumstances are as severe as Zainab’s, and some whose situations are even worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are hoping that we will be able to give this family the assistance they so desperately need.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A Small Amount Can Make a Big Difference</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Donations are tax deductible</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate">www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">or by check to:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Collateral Repair Project</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">PO Box 8160</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Medford, OR 97501</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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</span></div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-72537039845855612022011-05-14T12:49:00.000-07:002011-08-15T18:00:21.086-07:00Couch Surfing in Amman - A Mother's Tale<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">When Sahar was granted resettlement to the US from Iraq, she fully anticipated that her 14 yr old daughter would soon follow. But one year later, her daughter was still in Iraq, where her life was in increasing jeopardy. Her best friend had been kidnapped for ransom and her uncle had been had been viciously assaulted.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Fearing for her daughter’s safety, Sahar did what any mother would do to protect a child. At great risk to herself, she returned to Iraq and brought her daughter to Amman, Jordan in hopes of returning to the US from there. Sahar cried as she described how much she missed her child in Iraq, was frightened and concerned about her welfare, and had taken it upon herself to return to Iraq to get her daughter to a safe place.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But now, they find themselves entangled in the web that is the immigration and refugee system. This system can be infuriatingly slow and disempowering for the people who are depending upon it, and while they wait for their cases to travel through its labyrinth, their lives are literally on hold.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They came to Amman with about $400 and a little money that her sister in Sweden had sent her. When these funds were exhausted, she appealed to CRP for help. She didn’t know what to do and told us how she and her daughter had been staying in the homes of various friends but that they couldn’t continue to do this indefinitely. She described to us their current living arrangements, which were potentially dangerous, and a decision was quickly reached to have Sahar and her daughter stay temporarily at the CRP center. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, CRP is looking for a small, inexpensive flat for Sahar and her daughter and will pay the rent and utilities until the immigration matter is resolved. We will also help with food expenses. Because she has been resettled in the US, Sahar is no longer eligible for assistance from UNHCR. Sahar also has some health issues that require medical attention and medication.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So many Iraqi refugees live just as Sahar and her daughter have been forced to live – like vagabonds, moving from one friend’s home to another, sleeping on floors and sofas with no place to call their own, carrying their few belongings with them. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>When there's no one else, there's You</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uYjM4dElmeA/Tc7bZXG7P3I/AAAAAAAABkg/FG9w9v_LV1g/s1600/CRP+Cover+Girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uYjM4dElmeA/Tc7bZXG7P3I/AAAAAAAABkg/FG9w9v_LV1g/s200/CRP+Cover+Girl.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate">www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate</a></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-62652674188405954562011-05-03T20:55:00.000-07:002011-08-15T18:06:29.672-07:00America's Big Day?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">The big news, as we all know, was President Obama’s announcement that Osama Bin Laden had been killed in an “operation” by the CIA conducted in Abbotabad, Pakistan. Following this news, we took note of the celebratory tone of many of the media stories and op eds that spoke of the “relief” that this boogeyman has been eliminated at long last; the “big fish” in the “war on terror” has finally been reeled in, duly dispatched, and his corpse tossed into the sea.</div><div class="MsoNormal">We watched a video of Obama’s announcement and was struck by the dramatic language he used to recount the drama of 9/11 and the loss of 3,000 American lives that day. But what struck even more strongly was that not a word was uttered about the many lives lost as a consequence of that day’s events, and of the displacement of millions of innocent people, all because of a false assertion that somehow Saddam Hussein had had something to do with the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HOyuqN0ZB9E/TcC_SXnto1I/AAAAAAAABkY/h_oZKu7HuVs/s1600/mothers+day+family+036+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HOyuqN0ZB9E/TcC_SXnto1I/AAAAAAAABkY/h_oZKu7HuVs/s320/mothers+day+family+036+%25281%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I wanted to ask, “What, Mr. President, nothing to say to the Iraqi people, not a word to acknowledge this cause-and-effect resulting in the shattering of their society, the deaths of their loved ones?” I would also wonder whether Mr. Obama would have any words to say to the Iraqis I have met here in Amman since I arrived here in March: the man whose fingers were eaten off by acid in an episode of unspeakable torture; the woman whose husband was kidnapped by a militia, murdered, and his remains returned to her in pieces stuffed into a garbage bag; the young woman whose beauty was stolen forever by a car bomb; the mother whose twins’ lives were erased in an explosion; the family who left Baghdad under threats of their children’s “annihilation,” living in one cold room and sharing two small blankets…and there are so many more.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ICw7Y65Jyzg/TcC_RtcQXkI/AAAAAAAABkQ/26EkXp17JXM/s1600/mothers+day+family+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ICw7Y65Jyzg/TcC_RtcQXkI/AAAAAAAABkQ/26EkXp17JXM/s200/mothers+day+family+001.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7mwAgeqzVhk/TcC_SOC3QrI/AAAAAAAABkU/TfPlAcs-BYw/s1600/mothers+day+family+035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7mwAgeqzVhk/TcC_SOC3QrI/AAAAAAAABkU/TfPlAcs-BYw/s200/mothers+day+family+035.jpg" width="200" /></a> At this particular time, when it appears that the world’s collective attention may be focusing now on pursuing yet more boogeymen in the name of America’s “freedom,” we feel it is a good time to look more seriously than ever at the “collateral damage” that is a consequence of 9/11, and work even harder to repair it. We would love to see as many of you as possible granting my wish, and giving us the support we need to continue helping the refugees here in Amman to rebuild their lives. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EVXAMr2rX6w/TcC_SpL2-qI/AAAAAAAABkc/OTUfePF8J74/s1600/mothers+day+family+049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EVXAMr2rX6w/TcC_SpL2-qI/AAAAAAAABkc/OTUfePF8J74/s320/mothers+day+family+049.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Here's How You Can Help</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate">www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate </a></span></div><br />
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</div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-4282831992691421862011-04-28T10:58:00.000-07:002011-08-15T18:49:34.651-07:00Easter Delivery<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">On Easter Sunday we revisited the young family we told you about a few weeks ago, whose children were so hungry at the time of our first visit that they ate the crayons and paints we brought them as gifts. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">They still live in the dismal, damp one-room flat, which held an overwhelming odor of urine from the defective plumbing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ICJg7IYWu-c/Tbmp4B0pMYI/AAAAAAAABkM/YB1iJh5rG9A/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ICJg7IYWu-c/Tbmp4B0pMYI/AAAAAAAABkM/YB1iJh5rG9A/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">We had heard that the young mother had visited a doctor and had learned the new baby will be a girl, so Sasha and went shopping for some nice pink baby gifts and had come to deliver them. We also brought a supply of staple foods (oil, flour, sugar, rice, pasta and other items) for the family, and a box of snack cakes for the children. As she opened the gifts, the contrast between the new and clean clothes and blankets, and the shabby surroundings, was so sharp that I felt my heart sink. We could not imagine bringing a tiny child into such a place. We thought of newborn babies and how they always lift our spirits and bring a glow to our hearts, but standing inside that dismal room I felt a pang of despair, not only for the family having another member to care for, but for the child whose life may very well be one of hopelessness and poverty.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">We asked that they please contact us when the baby is born so that we can make a return visit and see the new arrival. Until then, they will be in my prayers and my thoughts. They are one of many Iraqi refugee families here who live in poor conditions and need help urgently. Fortunately, the cost of the birth of this child will be paid by CARE, but the family still does not receive any financial assistance. We will continue to worry about this family and hope their conditions will improve soon. Many thanks to our donors who contributed to help us bring this small amount of help to them! ~ Mary Shephard</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Many more families await your help </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate</span></div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-91278623439425224732011-04-23T09:22:00.000-07:002011-08-15T18:50:32.691-07:00Easter 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">It’s a beautiful day here in Amman. The birds are singing outside the window as I write, the sun is streaming in, and cars are quietly passing in the street. Tranquil, peaceful, so hard to imagine that the world around me is enmeshed in violence and strife.</div><div class="MsoNormal">No wonder, then, that it’s so hard for people to remember the ongoing tragedy that is Iraq. Not only are most of us soothed by our peaceful surroundings, but we’re also continually being bombarded with new stories of horror and tragedy from all over the world. We can feel overwhelmed by this, and our natural reaction is to shut it all out and tell ourselves that there is nothing we can do.</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is Easter weekend. Although I am not a Christian, I do know the meaning of Easter; through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, all of mankind is saved from darkness. This is a beautiful story, one of hope and renewal, and as we watch our kids tear into their Easter baskets, attend religious services to celebrate this joyful day, and join our families in a traditional Easter dinner, we may not stop for a moment and remember those who are the “collateral damage” resulting from the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Iraqis are still fleeing for their lives, and many times they find themselves in harsh circumstances once they arrive in Amman. The waiting period for cash assistance from the UN can be many months, and not all Iraqis receive it. Returning to Iraq is out of the question for them – they either have no homes to return to, or to go back can mean death. So they languish in Amman, relying on neighbors and relatives to help support them, but their lives are harsh. For many Iraqis, they find themselves in grinding poverty and uncertainty, forced to buy a little food on credit, living in hovels with no heat, and many families live in single rooms where they sleep on a cold floor. Unable to work legally in Jordan, some risk jail and deportation by taking menial jobs, but many more sit in hopelessness and impoverishment. Domestic violence can rear its ugly head, a manifestation of despair and a loss of self amid the continuing turmoil of life as a refugee. Some Iraqis have, or develop, medical conditions for which they cannot obtain necessary medications. The list of challenges they face as refugees goes on and on.</div><div class="MsoNormal">We at CRP are working every day to make the situation better for Iraqi families in Amman. We help in many ways, including cash assistance to those need emergency help. Unfortunately, our donations have slowed to a trickle, and we have not been able to provide this vital help. Because of this, some Iraqi families are at risk of homelessness. Another risk is imprisonment of Iraqi husbands because of nonpayment of debt. </div><div class="MsoNormal">On this Easter Sunday, while we are enjoying the day with family and friends, please take a moment to remember the ongoing tragedy of Iraq and its refugees. A donation of even a small amount goes a long way in helping us to help Iraqi refugees. The story of hope and renewal that is Easter can be lived every day through caring and giving. Happy Easter! ~ Mary Shephard<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">When There's No Other Way, There's You</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate">www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-91830681251575925632011-04-19T12:04:00.000-07:002011-08-15T18:12:15.927-07:00TRANSFORMATION<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Today we went to visit a family who has been in Amman since January, 2010 and has not received any financial assistance from UNHCR. They have had no money to pay their rent or to feed their kids. Bilal, age 28, and his wife Amira, age 21, have two little boys, ages 18 months and 3 years. When they had to flee Iraq and come to Jordan, the younger child was a newborn. We visited for a happy reason – one of our very generous donors has pledged to send $250 a month to support this young family, and we were happy to deliver the first month’s donation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eODxA5Z9FCY/Ta3btpV23qI/AAAAAAAABj4/hs7HK07fu4Y/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eODxA5Z9FCY/Ta3btpV23qI/AAAAAAAABj4/hs7HK07fu4Y/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The family lives in a tiny, run-down and shabby flat which is nothing more than a small room with a bathroom lacking a tub or shower, and a tiny kitchen, but now they can pay their rent, get good food for themselves and their two little boys, and insulin for Bilal’s diabetes. My heart almost burst inside my chest when I saw their faces as Ghazwan presented them with the donation that is literally a lifesaver. We sat on the floor during our visit because they have no furniture. Both Bilal and Amira had new hope in their eyes. They can now see a good future for themselves and their boys because someone cares.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Most families who have arrived in Amman since 2010 usually have had to endure a long waiting process while they’re assessed for refugee status. This is a new development; they won’t receive cash assistance unless they are classified as refugees. This family has been waiting for almost a year and a half. How were the supposed to survive during this wait? We’ve helped these families in the past by giving them emergency cash, but because our donations have slowed to a trickle, we’ve been unable to help any families for the past two months.. When we couldn’t help they were forced to rely on their equally poor neighbors for food, and there were days when the family literally had nothing to eat at all. Bilal and his family are very, very fortunate to have a generous donor take an interest in them and offer to give them the help they need so desperately.</div><div class="MsoNormal">When you know someone cares about you, your whole life looks different. You have the strength to go on, the ability to feel hope again. One minute it can feel as if there is no reason to get up in the morning, and the next, it can feel as if life is full of miracles. I saw this transformation today. When I first met Bilal a few weeks ago, his whole being conveyed his worry and fear. Today, he was a new man – smiling, laughing, and he said, “now I can relax.” He asked us about a million times to thank the person who has pledged to help his family.</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s a lesson for all of us, really – to put ourselves in our brother’s shoes and feel his pain, then reach out and help – and then watch the transformation. It’s beautiful. You can transform a family’s life, too.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QDW2ljTT7Qc/Ta3cGzN0v8I/AAAAAAAABj8/7_XoTNO6R-w/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QDW2ljTT7Qc/Ta3cGzN0v8I/AAAAAAAABj8/7_XoTNO6R-w/s400/Slide2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It's Safe, It's Secure, It's Tax Deductible </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-77709148730698011492011-04-13T20:46:00.000-07:002011-04-13T20:55:15.903-07:00Playing It Forward<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">In this blog, CRP friend and supporter Carol Malik, shares memories of her dad, his love of dominoes and his acts of generosity. Carol carries on his tradition by donating funds in his memory for supplies for CRP's Men's Dominoes Night. Thank you Carol!</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">Mary Madsen</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5KtNvSndgG4/TaZsZmZYA7I/AAAAAAAABjs/wgMjje-sc1Q/s1600/Dominoes+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5KtNvSndgG4/TaZsZmZYA7I/AAAAAAAABjs/wgMjje-sc1Q/s320/Dominoes+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">Honestly, if my Dad were alive and he knew about these men needing a place to play dominoes, he would have made that happen. No doubt about it! He was a bulldozer operator and worked seasonally. During the winter months, the men would gather at, of all places, a furniture store to play dominoes near the cash register! Nothing like rural Arkansas growing up!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">Yes, the Iraqi value their elders so much. And my Dad would have loved to play dominoes with them for sure! I think the way he put it was "there is no such thing as a stranger, just people you haven't got acquainted with yet". I wish I had a photo of my Dad playing dominoes, but I think we were too busy playing to even think about that! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">I know dominoes for my family was a time of fun, laughter and talking over some important ways to handle situations of life while we were playing a game. What could be better than taking a serious issue, mulling it over and finding a way to deal with the serious enjoying something to help relax and solve those issues? Who would believe you could solve problems over a game of dominoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">My Dad had compassion for people and was always willing to help when he learned about the difficulties of a neighbor or family in need. It didn't matter to him what the cause of a problem for the people was, if he had the means to help, that was all that was necessary. And to this day I remember going with him and my Mom to homes out in rural Arkansas and taking groceries and cooked food to people in need or helping somebody with a way to get the electricity back on or the water running or somebody in need of clothes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bu5ngKYMEo8/TaZs09K2MqI/AAAAAAAABj0/qiCPYeO1i9Q/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bu5ngKYMEo8/TaZs09K2MqI/AAAAAAAABj0/qiCPYeO1i9Q/s320/Slide2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">And he never wanted a single thing in return. If somebody got back up on their feet and wanted to pay Dad </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">back, all he asked was for them to just help the next person they found who needed the same sort of help, long before I ever heart the phrase "pay it forward". Such a great thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">For me, my Dad was so special, but I didn't understand the full scope of who he was until long after he died and I use to go and visit my great Uncle Earnest who was raised with my Dad (my Dad's parents were both deceased by the time my Dad was 7 years old and was raised by his aunts and Grandfather). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"> My Dad had to stop attending school by the 6th grade since he was the eldest of my Great Grandpa's grandchildren and he worked plowing fields all over eastern Oklahoma with a horse and plow! Can you imagine? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">My Dad and Uncle Earnest use to go around visiting family up until my Dad passed away in 1991 and then, once my Uncle could no longer drive himself, I started taking him to visit family much as he and my Dad use to do. It was such a great thing learning more about my Dad and family from my Uncle Earnest! They were raised in the time after the depression and it was tough going. But the situations my Dad was in as a child gave him so much compassion for others. I was so amazed by what my Uncle told me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">My life because of the compassion of my Dad and the patience of my Mom was blessed and I can only hope that what I do from day to day. And I hope I have learned a bit more since last July to appreciate every day as the gift that it truly is.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rP6uYo0_MuI/TaZs0-qaaGI/AAAAAAAABjw/p1dD7pRNI8E/s1600/Slide1-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rP6uYo0_MuI/TaZs0-qaaGI/AAAAAAAABjw/p1dD7pRNI8E/s320/Slide1-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">It is my honor to share him with whoever may have an interest and I hope my Dad's story may touch some of the other donors of the past who might be willing to share in the lightening of the hearts of these Iraqi people in some way. They are so very precious!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">My kids and I haven't played lately, but because of my Dad, there were 3 generations of domino players to date! Not so bad! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Carol Malik</span></div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-46732606906110012342011-04-11T15:56:00.000-07:002011-08-15T18:15:34.898-07:00WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"> "<i>Refugee</i>,” what comes to mind? I’m sure many people try not to even think about it, but refugees are innocent people who are caught up in the violence and horror of war and occupation and find they must flee in order to survive. Many Iraqi refugees are people who made up the middle and upper classes of Iraqi society. In our English classes we have civil engineers, economists, police officers and other professionals who are now languishing in Amman without being able to work. One man in the advanced English class has been approved for resettlement and will be emigrating to Massachusetts, where his sponsors are waiting to help him to start a new life. A goldsmith, he hopes to work as a jeweler once he is in the US. </div><div class="MsoNormal">But the rest wait in agonizing limbo for word on resettlement -- unemployed and with little to fill their days that stretch into months or even years -- while knowing that very few are accepted for resettlement and that the long wait may well end in shattering their hopes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8NXfU2jXP3A/TaN6WOu_zrI/AAAAAAAABjQ/-Cwp-NXW4FA/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8NXfU2jXP3A/TaN6WOu_zrI/AAAAAAAABjQ/-Cwp-NXW4FA/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">For the refugees remaining in Amman, we need to continue to assist them. Because many are still waiting for a determination from UNHCR on their status, they do not yet receive cash assistance and are forced to rely on friends and relatives to survive. Some run up large credit accounts in their neighborhood food markets in order to be able to eat. We normally help these families with food, rent and utility payments, but we’re not able to do anything for them now because we have no cash for this purpose. It is crucial to help these families because unless their bills are paid, the head of the family can be put in jail for nonpayment. Children will see their fathers arrested and taken away, and wives will be left alone to struggle to keep the rest of the family together.</div><div class="MsoNormal">We need to remember these are our fellow human beings – they’re people just like us, except that their society has been destroyed and they have literally fled for their lives, in hopes that they might be able to make a new life. The limbo of waiting for refugee status is incredibly stressful – imagine yourself in such a situation. You’re in another country, you have no money, you are waiting for months to find out what is going to happen with your application for resettlement, you have a family to take care of….imagine it. And you can’t go back where you lived before, because either your home is gone or you will be killed if you return. Try to imagine the stress, the fear of the unknown, compounded by the traumatic experience of living through a war. Imagine your life falling apart, only to be replaced by uncertainty, poverty and isolation.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> CRP is trying to help our fellow human beings, but in order to do it effectively, we need your participation and help. Can you please take a moment to put yourself in the shoes of an Iraqi refugee and imagine the hardship so many of them endure every day? And then please think of what CRP does – we provide emergency assistance for living expenses, food, medication and other necessities. We provide heaters and fans, winter coats for kids, but we also provide something else equally important. We provide support for the Iraqi refugee community by giving them a place where they can come for the non-tangibles they also need. The men’s Dominoes Night, the Hope Workshop (a co-op where Iraqi refugee women create beautiful items to sell), the English and art classes, are only some of the things we offer to the community, again, with your help. It is crucial that we be able to again provide cash assistance to needy families, and to continue to offer programs to strengthen the community in Amman. </div><div class="MsoNormal">No donation is too small. Imagine yourself, one more time….imagine giving a donation to help us help Iraqi refugees, and imagine how good it feels knowing you have made a difference in someone’s life.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate">www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rgAxaFPbGCs/TaOG3Gi-u9I/AAAAAAAABjc/jiDF4_oEyck/s1600/CRP+Cover+Girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rgAxaFPbGCs/TaOG3Gi-u9I/AAAAAAAABjc/jiDF4_oEyck/s320/CRP+Cover+Girl.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-23295061965803112492011-04-09T23:54:00.000-07:002011-04-09T23:54:46.621-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">When There’s No Other Hope, There’s You<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate">www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate</a></span></div></span><br />
</div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-50875859074578304862011-04-02T17:18:00.000-07:002011-08-15T18:18:12.730-07:00Crayons Are For Making Pretty Pictures, Not For Human Consumption<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="textexposedshow">EATING CRAYONS<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="textexposedshow"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="apple-style-span">On March 22 we received a desperate call from a new family pleading “Please rescue us!” They told us they were 4 months behind in rent and had their utilities shut off 2 months ago (no water, no electric). 3 young children. No income. Desperate. </span><span class="textexposedshow">Although our coffers for emergency assistance were depleted, their story and desperation were so compelling we scheduled a home visit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="textexposedshow"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="apple-style-span">They came to Amman a year ago and UNHCR decided that they are not eligible for resettlement so, not only do they not get the UNHCR financial assistance but UNHCR took away their asylum seeker registratio</span><span class="textexposedshow">n certificate. This means that they are vulnerable to forced repatriation to Iraq. As a result, they cannot get assistance from any of the major NGOs as they require that registration before they will give aid or assistance. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="textexposedshow">We learned that the dad had been kidnapped by a militia in Iraq and held for 22 days in 2010 and tortured the entire time. They wanted him to join their militia and after a while, the torture was so great that he agreed - just to be released. But they fled the same day he was released. They cannot return to Iraq because of terror they will kidnap or kill him. He cannot try to get any work - even hauling things on the streets of the busy downtown area where they live because, without that protection paper, he will be arrested and sent out of Jordan. The Asylum-Seeker protection paper also is the document required to get assistance of any kind that is available for Iraqi refugees here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="textexposedshow"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DYltnE-NBMo/TZesNHaLhWI/AAAAAAAABi0/3oTxfqjf8_o/s1600/mom+and+girls.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DYltnE-NBMo/TZesNHaLhWI/AAAAAAAABi0/3oTxfqjf8_o/s640/mom+and+girls.JPG" width="640" /></a><span class="textexposedshow">The family includes a husband, wife and three children, a boy age 7, and two girls aged 4 and 3. </span>They live in a miserable 2 room hovel, cold and bleak, with no furniture other than a single mattress leaning against a wall. The bathroom is nothing more than a floor toilet in a space no larger than a closet, and it is blackened and encrusted with mold. There are no facilities for bathing. A quick glance into the kitchen area revealed cockroaches and a meager two-burner hotplate. There was no food in the home. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1qmfhotKbs8/TZev-lW4JfI/AAAAAAAABi4/ef01bX_YVdU/s1600/kitchen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1qmfhotKbs8/TZev-lW4JfI/AAAAAAAABi4/ef01bX_YVdU/s200/kitchen.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aMYorxe1df8/TZewDckQNNI/AAAAAAAABi8/uFP4tMOJE3g/s1600/toilet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aMYorxe1df8/TZewDckQNNI/AAAAAAAABi8/uFP4tMOJE3g/s200/toilet.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">The wife is 24 years old and is nine months’ pregnant with a history of complicated births. She is expected to give birth anytime during the first two weeks of April. She does not have a doctor and has not been receiving any prenatal care. She said when she visited a local clinic two weeks ago, she was turned away. There is no money to pay for the hospital when she is ready to give birth – and if she does give birth there, both she and her baby will not be allowed, under Jordanian law, to leave the hospital until her bill is paid. <span class="textexposedshow">How will they ever afford the $600 (barring complications) bill when they can't afford to feed their children they have? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"> They have not been able to make any preparations for the new baby, and are in need of clothing, blankets, diapers and something for the baby to sleep in.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">It was clear that the family was not eating well at all; we had brought small gifts of toys and candy for the children, and all three of them immediately consumed the candy. After that, they also ate the crayons and paints. Their mother gave the children some bread, which also was devoured ravenously. We learned that the youngest child suffers from anemia and is not receiving the iron supplement she needs. There were times during this visit that I had to cast my eyes either downward or out the door in order not to cry. I just couldn’t believe how this family was being forced to live - no food other than the small amount given to them by their neighbors, no electricity, no furniture and no heat. My bones ached from sitting on the cold, damp concrete floor, and I imagined what it would be like to be in this squalid, hopeless place and in this miserable life.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Usually, both Hajjia (see previous post) and this family would be relieved by our visit and our assurances that we will help. We would buy food for them and make sure that they had heating (it is still very cold here at night) and adequ<span class="textexposedshow">ate blankets. We would help Hajiia find and move into an inexpensive flat that at least had basic facilities for bathing and toileting. This month however, we have no funds at all in our Emergency Assistance budget because donations have dropped to a trickle this year. But one just cannot witness these things and walk away without any response. We bought enough food for a few meals for the family with the hungry children and gave the elderly woman some money that will last her a couple of weeks so she can eat. We took her one of our spare blankets and paid for second-hand kerosene heater for her that she can also cook on. We are paying for these things from our own very minimal salaries although our salaries barely last us the month and we cannot afford to help others from it. What are we to do? --Sasha Crow <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZhjCOe0gus/TZe3dm_VYtI/AAAAAAAABjA/Wr2OYnaFiCo/s1600/opening+gifts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZhjCOe0gus/TZe3dm_VYtI/AAAAAAAABjA/Wr2OYnaFiCo/s200/opening+gifts.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="textexposedshow"> NOTES FROM A</span> VOLUNTEER</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sasha and Ghazwan are CRP in Amman. Sasha is an American woman, and Ghazwan an Iraqi man. The two of them are the living heart of CRP. They are both deeply compassionate people who have become an integral part of the Iraqi refugee community in Amman and have dedicated themselves to helping the families within this community. I saw the two of them give money from their own pockets to a destitute woman whose only income was from selling shoe polish in the street, so that she could have something to eat other than the spoiled food that had brought ants into her one-room hovel. As she cried, they hugged her and dried her tears. There wasn’t a desk jockey bureaucrat anywhere to be found – but there, in that dingy room, were two people, one of whom was himself a refugee and the other an American with a desire to bring healing to these devastated people, and both were a single human presence embodying peace and reconciliation. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="textexposedshow"> UPDATE -- WITH A PARABLE -- by Sasha Crow<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">We dropped in to visit Um M and her lovely two children last night to see how she was doing and to introduce Mary, our new resident volunteer, to the family. You may have read about this family on our CRP Face Book page - they arrived last fall with only $<span class="textexposedshow">7 to their name. CRP supported them for a couple of months - providing rent, food and their other basic necessities. Um M's gratitude is as strong now as it was when we rescued them then. She told us a story - about a poor man that was given alms by a wealthy man. When the poor man was given the coin, he told the wealthy man to say "Ya'allah"(help me Allaha). The wealthy man was incensed - saying "I gave you money and you have the nerve to dictate to me that I must then say "Ya'allah?"!!! The poor man explained that the wealthy one had his riches by Allah's grace so that he was able to then help the impoverished one. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="textexposedshow"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="textexposedshow">I am not Muslim - or even Christian - but I fervently plead "Ya'allah!" and share the message of the poor man for each of you to make this plea and then share what you have because it was given to you so that you can help others. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="textexposedshow"> -- Sasha<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="textexposedshow"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="textexposedshow"><span class="textexposedshow">We are being overwhelmed with people who have no means of support and who cannot return to Iraq. </span>Your tax deductible donation will help provide the vital assistance that these families and individuals desperately need.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate">www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Follow us on Face Book: Collateral Repair Project – Helping You Help Iraqi Refugees</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-4599040106360174312011-03-30T19:49:00.000-07:002011-08-15T18:19:22.422-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hajjia </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;">(Hajjia is a term of respect to refer to an elderly woman who has either made the Haj or is old enough to have made it.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;">Hajjia is a widow and she is old and alone. She ekes out<span class="apple-style-span"> a</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="textexposedshow">living by selling shoe polish on the streets of downtown Amman. But this barely pays her rent, so her diet consists of mostly just bread. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9hMvPRXccaU/TZTx9DTTYiI/AAAAAAAABio/kS-GnEh-WKo/s1600/hajjiah+lead.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9hMvPRXccaU/TZTx9DTTYiI/AAAAAAAABio/kS-GnEh-WKo/s200/hajjiah+lead.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;">Hajjia is from a small village near Mosul. Her husband died in his twenties but until then they were both shepherds and she describes their life as “beautiful”. After that, her son was able to support his family and his mother well. He owned a GMC and transported people for hire between Iraq, Syria and Jordan. Since 2003 all of that changed. Her son and only child, has been imprisoned in Syria for three years and his wife and 8 children remain in the village where the situation is very bad for them and their relatives.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G8Pd6qhaqJw/TZPm5a3A5kI/AAAAAAAABik/5zzAztsCFXs/s1600/sink.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G8Pd6qhaqJw/TZPm5a3A5kI/AAAAAAAABik/5zzAztsCFXs/s200/sink.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><span class="textexposedshow">Hajjia now</span><span class="apple-style-span"> lives Amman, in a room meant for washing the bodies of the dead which has no running water and a hole in the floor for a toilet that overflows with sewage. </span><span class="textexposedshow">She has not been able to bathe or wash her hair for several months. </span><span class="apple-style-span">She has no heat source or way to cook. </span><span class="textexposedshow">She sleeps with one thin blanket on a lumpy mat that she has pulled out of the garbage. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="textexposedshow"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><span class="textexposedshow">And she sobs constantly for her son who languishes in prison. She cannot afford to go to see him. He cries during the infrequent calls he is able to make to her because of the treatment he receives and begs her to help. She cannot bear to tell him how bad her own situation is, not wanting to upset him further, not wanting to increase his frustration that he cannot be there to care for her. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;">We were able to deliver a 2nd-hand kerosene heater she can also cook on, some pots, a bowl, spoon and mug, tea, one of our spare warm blankets, pillow, towel & dishdasha (long dress) from CRP distribution. She wept, she sang and she kissed us many times. We gave her warm socks, and a donated single crutch to make climbing the steep hill and many stairs home easier for her, and told her to come to CRP to get a hot shower and wash her laundry. She was thrilled with the offer and kissed us even more. She tells us that the crutch we gave to her will be useful f<span class="textexposedshow">or not only traversing the steep road to home but that she can use it as a weapon if she has to, to beat off the drunks and drug addicts that inhabit the streets in the evening. She has been mugged before. She makes less than $3 per day selling Kiwi Shoe polish on the streets and must pay her rent & utilities of approx $100 per month. She lives on bread and the charity of others - but she refuses to beg. She said that Allah (God) will provide for her. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="textexposedshow">She should be sitting in a place of honor in the family home now, being taken care of in her old age and surrounded by her grandbabies.</span><br />
Instead, she sleeps in a bug-infested hovel on one of the steep hillsides of downtown Amman and lives in abject poverty. <span class="textexposedshow"> </span><br />
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She is so very alone and in such <span class="textexposedshow">miserable conditions, rarely touched by human kindness.</span><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"> </span></b> <b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 7.5pt;"> – </span></b>Sasha Crow </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 6;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LIGy0cXXFAQ/TZTy8lRMWXI/AAAAAAAABis/sVOGq1kYj4w/s1600/P1010049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LIGy0cXXFAQ/TZTy8lRMWXI/AAAAAAAABis/sVOGq1kYj4w/s200/P1010049.JPG" width="200" /></a></div></div><br />
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</div></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-81872044961993014212010-12-27T13:02:00.000-08:002010-12-27T13:02:25.738-08:00You've Made All of This Possible!<div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><img height="181px;" id="internal-source-marker_0.18026627809740603" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/FZhfaWzqOb_xkNkX_NIcIlKEkw8_KZimpKLmxAS6WqJ1DmmEgNvOgFY3oqhaOUq4b68t5ag4H1WfeLc35CLAtSkvxq0c1HSPBwBVnNE-Y2AzF3kWTg" width="775px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dear Friends of Collateral Repair Project</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the blessings of being such a small organization is that we become intimately involved with those we assist, becoming “extended family”. We want each and every one of you to feel included in this far-away family, too, because without you, we could not be here.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the drawbacks of our size is that we operate with a bare-bones staff. The time we spend in our work on the ground prevents us from making regular updates to inform you about our projects and how your support is reaching Iraqi refugees in need. We’d like to take the opportunity now to let you know more about what </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have accomplished this year.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2010 and our 4th year of our work with Iraqi refugees in Jordan is winding to an end. This has been a challenging year for us as donations have decreased while the situation for Iraqi refugees here is worsening. There were times we were uncertain if we would be operating from one month to the next, but, through your continued generosity, even in these rough times, we’ve endured. We, on behalf of those you have helped, thank you warmly for your continued support. Truly, we cannot do it without you!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With love and best wishes for a more peaceful new year..... from Sasha, Mary, Ghazwan, Marilyn & Karen</span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Consolas; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We shall find peace. We shall hear angels, we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Consolas; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Consolas; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~Chekov~</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This year, Iraqi refugees in Jordan will need your support more than ever. Please help.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DONATE</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="156px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/QIE-c2XNLKdETrMDSgNLcnktSvZyOrUbi9PLlQMyqppZdWT3cnRdJls35wbuIcoHmVv_4HYVdCccJ2S8GsdfMLpowACgCPT7FQKRM4t0I_u60jJp9g" width="775px;" /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="176px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eM8qiGQ-3b3wH6KJbiM0IKqXhrIpVIPe-za5YfbnSatOzVeaopvHspi4uNjWyr059VoznTRW4BDjUHGHK5QoH0Q8Ie2pYHNBNQfHw-h_LjV9Eepwsw" width="774px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This has been a tumultuous year in Iraq with increasing violence and insecurity. Iraqis are still fleeing for their lives but a major difference we are seeing this year is that, unlike years previous, most of the new arrivals come with little or no savings. Another difference is that it is no longer as relatively easy for new arrivals to get the vital UNHCR monthly financial assistance that Iraqis (barred from employment as non-residents) must rely on to pay for their most basic needs. Now, after registering as Asylum Seekers, they must wait many months to find out if they will be accepted as “refugees” and, until they get this determination, they are not eligible to receive this critically necessary financial assistance. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">magine fleeing your country for your lives, bringing nothing but suitcases of your clothes and then, finally reaching safety, having no way to pay rent or even buy food. This is what happened to Um Mohammed, who arrived 2 months ago with her two children and only $7!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because of this change in UNHCR policy, we are now constantly getting pleas to help pay rent, buy food, and basic necessities such as blankets and heaters. Due to this devastating situation and our budget limitations, we are now providing our Emergency Assistance almost solely to help these families. We have great concern as their numbers are increasing as our and other organizations’ resources are dwindling. The need is far beyond our capacity to help but we must do what we can. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">WE CAN DO IT WITH YOUR </span><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HELP</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="174px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1HUQ-YH5OtYw6ziBlgzkmhTE4_Jl9ethmjJ7TQMJik0UvDZ9XgwYzKlo6wewrLM4ACh71z4KUdZiWlm3MCcWDRHxDoCmGcGA0rqL94SOWqQws8o5qA" width="777px;" /><img height="177px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/T2iLvDpvU5I306c81ccHTaSR2EC8YitLOpvrsDg0-KN9miWIwspdKq_cIuoQU4pwyzPkbKuiJ87SUMba80Uqt4eQeXpZ4nTM643OUsBJer8ZEXgx8g" width="778px;" /></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">has paid back-rent and utilities for many families this year as well as providing food, blankets, sleeping mats, fans and second-hand refrigerators (in summer) and heaters with fuel now that it’s winter. We have helped with hospital bills and purchasing medication. We have also purchased school supplies, books and shoes for children whose parents had no money to purchase them - and much, much more.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In only the past few days....</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We visited 36 year old </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hussein</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. He and his elderly mother arrived in Jordan in mid-October. Hussein was working in Baghdad city maintenance when a car pulled up and three masked men with Kalashnikovs and rifles jumped out and opened fire on him, presumably because he was of a minority sect in his neighborhood. They left him for dead with 9 bullets riddling his body - one exiting through and destroying his left eye. He survived but is now paraplegic. When we asked what resources they brought with them to Jordan, he told us that he sold the only thing he had left of any value -his electric wheelchair - for $400. They used this money to travel and to pay two months’ rent in advance on their tiny, substandard apartment and to buy food. Hussein was given a dilapidated manual wheelchair that is missing one arm-rest, putting him at risk of falling out. There is no room in the apartment to maneuver the chair anyway, nor can he use it to go outside in the narrow access that has many steps. He must spend his entire time in bed, never leaving home, and rely on his frail mother for his personal care. He has a regular twin bed and his mother has piled blankets and a small end table behind his shoulders to allow him to sit upright. Now their rent is coming due again and they still do not receive financial assistance. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hussein and his mother need to move into another apartment that will allow Hussein to escape the confines he endures now. He needs a functional, safe wheelchair and hospital bed. They need money for rent and food.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abu Haider </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">called us for help. He and his wife have three children - two have Thalasseemia Major - a blood disorder that requires several thousand dollars in medications each month to keep the children alive. This family must survive on approximately $300 a month UNHCR financial assistance. UNHCR, because of their budget cutbacks, ended paying for Thalasseemia treatment this year. With so little income, the parents literally beg to pay for medication for their children - and they never get enough money to pay for the full regime of drugs their children need. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Abu Haider called, it was to ask if we could help pay rent for them to move into a different apartment. The recent rains had cause the entire ceiling in their flat to cave in, barely missing the mother. They had to move but had no money. We were able to pay for the half month’s rent they needed until they receive their financial assistance. Although it seems like an impossibility, we are trying to find a donor or institution that will provide the two children with bone marrow transplants ($200.000 per child) as this would be the only cure for this disease and assure that they will survive. We must try.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Semira </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is an elderly woman living alone. Militia entered her home in Iraq, setting her and her father on fire after beating them severely. Her father did not survive the attack. Semira, as a single person, receives only approximately $100 per month financial assistance. Her rent is $70. The remainder must pay for utilities, food, medications and transportation to her doctor appointments. She lives in a tiny very substandard apartment that had huge areas of wall missing. Rain poured in, flooding her home. The missing wall areas made it impossible to heat - but she had no heater. She also had no stove to cook on and would have to go to a neighbor’s home, just to heat water for tea. CRP provided her with a kerosene heater that she could also cook on - as well as 20 liters of kerosene. We also hired our Iraqi handy-man to enclose the open wall areas and reinforce the roof as water was beginning to leak in the deteriorating ceiling, risking it falling in on</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">her.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With your support, we can help more people in crisis who truly have no one else they can turn to</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PLEASE </span><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HELP</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> NOW</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="192px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/tKkPNEHZfg066ShOyHnXIan5mU2wrUmzvYdYrwWcRVD0QuwSyfIr5Y7MsdRzU5LxuQk2imuSOFp2p0x_PIVd_Ui-8dVsUe5-bGza8Y0ShM3ezdAlsQ" width="776px;" /></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last winter, you purchased over 500 coats for children - from toddlers to teens. We hope that you will help us to meet our goal to keep 1000 kids warm this winter. For only $10, you can </span><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">give</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a child a coat!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="175px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/hgAYeE8edDPmmu7cj7EW7zeWRV07_iKP9llv468gwTVy1LX0vUXFtPLYP_3FIeJHSjCt8bxtS2DmVh0-4_4Ts5TGXCR-zvLKxzcgUIuXSel0yWtiyw" width="778px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Warshat al-Amal (HOPE WORKSHOP) creates beautiful, functional and GREEN products entirely from recycling throw-way plastic bags! Their products include purses, tote bags and bath/kitchen mats. Lucy, a US volunteer who worked with the women here last summer to begin the co-op, is working on a web site for their products (still under construction)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="155px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/JfItaziFqPaYj4szVrceWTqlRhkK7g8nU11e7BUmzPS6AxCqx5q3Hu89z89MSwIvdC38bVhpEhC76z1471OqA67xqymCm8lJdJoAEhxY4KV4AZSZdA" width="780px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our 2010 party was a huge success. The children made Valentines, played games, had their faces painted, and even broke open pinatas to scramble for toys and candies. Every child received a gift bag. We also had a raffle for their parents and every family won a prize!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="175px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FW-SajROWa0Q5Tee7LVatIc0A6pBHMrQc1UBrYGs8DDgfHONUSynilNct5owjAFnfD5dKXN2WfE2DZayjuTSF8CZ_O3FCq8EEtCIvYLm7gi-d8ZG9w" width="778px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iraqi refugees do not have funds to purchase cameras or pay for studio portraits. Some have now spent years in exile, their children growing quickly, with no visual record of them during these years. We scheduled “studio days” and had families sit for portraits that we printed to 8x10 size for them to take home.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cloth Diapers for Babies:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cloth diapers are impossible to find in Jordan. Everyone uses disposables - devastating to the environment and too costly for refugee parents to purchase. Parents end up cutting back on food or other family needs in order to diaper their babies. We are developing a project to hire Iraqi women to sew cloth diaper sets for newborns and older babies from patterns. We have a small amount of “seed money” to purchase initial materials with but still need to buy a couple of sewing machines, more fabric as we need it, and funds to pay the women who will sew them.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Co-operative Play Group</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A new project that is just getting off the ground that was initiated by an Iraqi mother to bring mothers and their young children together to share fun and learning activities at CRP Center. Mothers will take turns creating and leading activities and, at the same time, building new friendships that will hopefully flourish outside of the center. CRP will provide the space, snacks, toys, books and craft supplies.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Milk for Kids:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We were providing infant formula for mothers who could not nurse and to vulnerable babies with compromised health - as well as powdered milk for young children. Although this was a worthwhile project, we made the hard choice to discontinue it because of its high cost and our budget constraints. We were only able to enroll a small percentage of the many families who applied</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="157px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/cRlZQ9KarJeSJB935KMCfdpYEUtm-nwADMlhc4Ehqaq4tcipsv6eWjCREQD1DQ7mIE6oVBaGpa_n0ABI2qwA1rmSCUU7F05Z6SvWRyk6D-fNkWJv6g" width="780px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parents who are struggling to feed their children cannot afford to provide them with toys. When we visit families, we take small gifts to every child age 12 and under. Favorites are crayons, paints and coloring books, light-up magic wands, harmonicas, riding balls, fairy wings, and hand-held video games. We bring the crayons and watercolor sets that have been donated to us in the US. The other toys are purchased wholesale here, at less than $1 each. A small amount to pay for a lot of joy.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="170px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/qgCyk8mUhEUWhwiCv6rjRljQ6ncigvbqDJRkfDAkdaKOuW7LQqjqZqHC3tqW6Ez3p-mMHJ7_qZ9e8KHfVbTXmODqAgRBZuGPlJG902P3Vyag2m3F6Q" width="781px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not all assistance we provide costs money. We often contact UNHCR to inform them of extremely dire situations and are often successful in accelerating getting help for their cases. We have built relationships with many of the large, international NGOs and we coordinate with them, working together to provide more holistic assistance to families in need. We refer individuals who need counseling to mental health and torture survival counseling centers. We sometimes also mediate with landlords, convincing them to be patient while our clients wait to be eligible for financial assistance if we are unable to pay the full amount of past-due rent. We also work with families to create budgets to help them learn to get by as best they can on their small financial assistance grants. We brainstorm with families to create solutions for other problems they encounter and check in with them periodically to check the status of their situations and provide more support if needed. We build intimate, enduring relationships with Iraqi refugees; they know they can count on us to care and help them the best we are able. We cannot do it without you.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PLEASE </span><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GIVE</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NOW</span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="37px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/sL9b_tkCfHfB3Rf0QG_R64FTmIiFn9Vs9AbN5PFa17mtDtI6ZpObwZYgRjP7jiOtGLcbdfkUIf5tkm9v0rKqvfDIlJYhQIUvWYXhq1TNf1c3DxbtAA" width="782px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are pleased to announce that, in April, we opened the doors of our humble community center and it has become a “second home” (as described by many Iraqis who participate in its activities and classes). Opening this center gives us the opportunity to expand our services beyond only assistance and to benefit a large number of Iraqis at relatively small cost.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="145px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/q48rhhTbl4tCUYI7-ySSaEfy4yXblJwA1-BvELA8uXEqFfaBimD1wlBIXgBr31JpSmCbVz6d7ZUZgbFC7khdwxkgm1ZkOH-frZIFTarq6HYLGR0QZA" width="783px;" /><img height="171px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/WXVoDJab4kToWgglKBeRcS6BM7uo6jqrvb13-6QLuAHDX3uNPrLH2IrKGN-1_NDEL00xqVlvDcWZOLzczmC4q0q2WOPihlaCjld7zBJJxydUfzYuOA" width="781px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Throughout the summer, every Saturday, two groups of children (ages 3-7 and 8-14) attended these activities - creating art projects and learning simple rhythms while playing drums, harmonicas, and rattles. We held a big party at the local community hall for the children and their parents at the end of summer with an exhibit of their artwork along with games and face-painting. Every child received a certificate of participation and a gift package of art supplies to take home.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="169px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8t7b09yhSXfOej1EvqLwfzp4sCtoDWKhbYVkbfEp2folT3C7j0tyh_knSL3E7HAY2ea9D0FkktYXD5gMGjRzGVEtYW7lJj9xeDf90Goc9qchMzrDsA" width="781px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are grateful to our volunteer English teachers for allowing us to offer classes in several levels of competency for adults and even a preschool English course!</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="180px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/LUGK6oH6Q1V49I2Y9QSjW-Rjigt_huEje6S44meSxlqn3H8ZxztZdpGsA_l8V7atrJ1DXCvtso-3XgxGF1znljuTijxTbQoncgXSYvCW1EOZrhP-rQ" width="787px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many Iraqi young people are sitting at home, unable to attend school or work, without opportunities to socialize with peers or learn new skills. We’ve recently begun art classes for young people, ages 13 to 24. Our first course is in the technique of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">collage</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. We’ll be holding more classes in other mediums throughout the year.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="139px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/fIjwaviBBW46UmXyUsqy1Oh8VsaiM8LNLTks6kTgxh2gxdLv0buEimqQxxeqBiU7XQHyw9l5cHAKHg1LjlNdvLWdK4KF19NQ3JRJOZ_ph4ufVUMXRA" width="778px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before war destroyed the tranquility of their lives and having to flee from their home communities into exile, Iraqi men would socialize with other men by meeting in coffee shops to drink coffee and play dominoes - somewhat like Poker night in the US. Iraqi men in Jordan are often isolated from other men and have no escape from the pressures of trying to care for their families on next to nothing. Domestic violence and depression have become epidemic. CRP has recreated this social outlet on Sunday nights with Men’s Dominoes Night. Men of all sects and religions come together in camaraderie to play Dominoes, drink coffee, smoke nargila, and to relax, sharing laughter and conversation. Many deep friendships have developed between the men and they now socialize with one another outside of Dominoes Night.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="150px;" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/x6smj9H9Mhb7-9v__h5UxFp00EK5TQna7cNVYjTEICb-W1qxVd_gpblRe16JxiVni_m6-pKZmlYZlBfmv760g4wYpSrUAulUAfODvA11EJuBrPtyeQ" width="784px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One room of our center is dedicated for donations of gently used clothing and household items. Those in need can take what they need for their families at no cost.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="149px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/QbbKOmLR5zbetwLbef8YiAVWAMykZMnkU5pP0sxFDYi2CsRRs8KA6GWY_k-ps1BrEoc8tzmAhx-dvfCMW4N-fWmuI4sRf59yzchw_QIOn3FpWoKwdg" width="779px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Without enough money to pay for their families’ needs, purchasing books is a luxury no one can afford. We’ve opened a small lending library with books in all genres for adults and children. Books are expensive here and our library is very limited at this time. Please consider contributing to help us purchase more books.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="155px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/fAfrDuPzIeERzSjt8tV1CUctEckdfSz3ZEpFhVov70mZuqQRAvOpJaJWF7wrh_6FthLEm6qFcqZSm29pNoRa4OYhKnibFaffZVMV2x-vY9Np3rm1SA" width="785px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have held socials where English language learners and those with some proficiency can come together for fun evenings of food and practice in conversational English with native speaker volunteers. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="34px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/kISirGjzOL5AsX_uiCo-CpJt6Ynq0fPCMTUTcVluy8KTXQ6sSfPw4pqpdhTkBI2e90pFzgFaWD6FAmAJaSmNQH_mF8V76sP29iM6JgfeWRGGpxmpiw" width="784px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Computer Learning Center:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our big dream for 2011 is to open a computer learning center with a minimum of ten computers. Most Iraqis have had no experience at all with computers. With families separated from one another, often by continents, inexpensive communication by e-mail or chat can keep loved ones in touch. For those who will be resettled to a third country and who will be seeking employment, learning basic computer skills is a must as most jobs (and even job search) relies to some degree on computers. The total cost for equipment for this center is $4,000. We will also need to have funds to hire an Iraqi instructor. We hope you can help make this dream come true. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Movie Nights:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another dream is to obtain a large tv and DVD player so we can have “movie nights/days” for all ages. We’d like to increase the number of social opportunities by hosting viewings of sports events (for men and teen boys), children’s videos, teen video night, craft instruction, etc - and to be able to provide in Arabic on health, parenting skills, pre-natal care, and other topics that can increase awareness and skills.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="48px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/C-BstkCG8zPhvxsHULPA875s_prVH_uwM55ZO5aZwlaNq-hyHZ0ovYtTUkGh6DgdGGfReDaBS9i_mB_QOD2_vPjtc7vEhPkDGXLBHm01fc9mhkoj5g" width="776px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As many of you know, Collateral Repair Project has been able to offer you tax deductions for your contributions by being a project under International Humanities Center (IHCenter). IHCenter has always charged us a fee for this service but this year they raised their fee to 10% of amounts donated. We felt that this was too large of a percentage being taken away from those your generosity was meant to help. We have now filed our Articles of Incorporation as a stand-alone nonprofit organization and now 100% of your giving goes directly to our projects for Iraqi refugees. We are working with our CPA to obtain 501.c.3. In the meantime, while our application is pending, IRS,“in good faith”, allows your contributions to be tax-deductible</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***If writing a check for your donation, from now on please make the check out Collateral Repair Project </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CRP </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">only</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. ***Questions about our tax status?: </span><a href="mailto:info@collateralrepairproject.org"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">contact us</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New Web Site</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are renovating our web site - actually doing a complete make-over. Our old site had become cluttered and we wanted to create a site that is easy to navigate and gives you the most current information about our work easily. Sasha is our web master as well as working full-time on the ground in Jordan so renovations are going slowly. Please check into our site once in a while to see its progress and to find out about our most current work</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.collateralrepairproject.org</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook Causes</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Collateral Repair Project. We want to thank all of you who have joined our Cause in the past and donated or dedicated your birthday to raising funds for our projects. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, now we ask you </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to give through Causes</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> because they take a large percentage of every donation. Also, our FB Cause was associated to International Humanities Center and we are no longer a project of IHCenter. If you give now, CRP will not receive it. Please, if you want to give, do so through our web site or by check so that 100% of your contribution goes to our projects.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="52px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P3gn9UB9gMYmUPICpv7HeK7H9QaxDZxSZqA2HzhKRu5wBKMLkv1FkrHelS_4Vp6IxM0wY25a69ilfBXNuKK1HX4asO-sU0EsMvqYWzJ3L3-4n1dLg" width="778px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We always need </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">volunteer English teachersand tutors</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at our Amman Center. If you are a native or skilled English speaker and you are in Amman (or plan to be), please </span><a href="mailto:info@collateralrepairproject.org"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">contact us</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Want to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">help with our web site</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? You do not need to know HTML - our site is being built with an online site building program that is very simple. Check out </span><a href="http://www.wix.com/"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.wix.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (our site host) to get an idea of how it works and then, if interested, please </span><a href="mailto:info@collateralrepairproject.org"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">contact us</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We need someone/s to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">manage our Facebook page and group</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - adding content once a week at minimum. Volunteer/s would be in contact with Sasha in Jordan who will give you links to pertinent articles as well as updates on our current work and families who need assistance. </span><a href="mailto:info@collateralrepairproject.org"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Contact us</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> if interested.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iraqi Women’s Craft Co-op needs volunteer marketers</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the USA and beyond. If you think you can help, please </span><a href="mailto:info@collateralrepairproject.org"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">contact us</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><img height="81px;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lwW7oMKBsWVWzVedbLPEjlaGqqY6t1q7DhPHDx1tVQphFjmMaOPkVH2YooicrzL1mQER4TuDI5QBrlUOkkO59-etmTlT1GTXkXknwzWiIL4plvOl3A" width="776px;" /><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have been blessed with wonderful volunteers who have spent time at our center in Jordan, sharing their skills and friendship with Iraqis we serve. We cannot thank you enough! Our deepest gratitude to:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meera Shanti Lucy Perkins Liz Brasington Farhana Esmail Mickey Hubbard Ross Wingo Taiyo Hanin Samia Qumri Rawan Arar Ally Hawkins Samira Kheirallah (with colleagues & friends) Michelle Munjanattu Ian Ben Woodman ~ and more </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We also want to thank those of you in the USA who have pitched in and helped raise awareness and funds for our projects or donated items for us to bring to Jordan to give to Iraqis. You are terrific! Thank you on behalf of those whose hearts and needs have been filled by your generosity of spirit:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sherian Garcia</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - who, with her daughter make “newborn kits” to give as welcoming gifts</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pacific Northwest Knitters (Bethel, Liz, Jane, Rachel, Libby, Nancy, Marisa...and others we may not know to include personally</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) for knitting scores of lovely warm hats to distribute to Iraqis in Jordan</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">David Albert & Ellen Sawislak - and Friends</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - who contributed boxes of craft supplies, crayons, water colors, harmonicas, recorders, start-up funds for our diaper project, contibuted to our lending library and for sending their daughter, Meera, to volunteer with us. We especially thank them for opening their home and welcoming into their Olympia Washington community to sponsor Ahmed in his resettlement to the USA when he arrived there just this week!</span><br />
<h3><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Carmen Schmidt & husband</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - for translation and offering terrific ideas for craft projects for our kids’ classes</span></h3><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tracy Early </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- who initiated a project to link Iraqi children here with the students in her son’s classroom. Jack and his classmates made drawings and sent a class photo to share with their new friends here. We took these drawings and photo to a school that is sponsored by UNICEF - along with gift bags containing art supplies for each of the 104 Iraqi students. These students made drawings to send back to the US school - and sent their class photo as well. We hope this is just the beginning of a long friendship.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mateo Watts</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - for creating his wonderful “peace garden” of zinnias that he sold at his local Farmers Market to raise funds for our projects and to purchase supplies for our Young Adult Art Classes. Thank you, Mateo, for your big heart and your support!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yusra</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - who will be celebrating her 6th birthday on December 19 and instead of expecting gifts for herself, she has asked those she’s invited to her party to give to buy clothes and toys for three Iraqi girls here who have nothing. A little girl with a big, big heart! Thank you kisses to Yusra and Happy Birthday!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nahoko Takato</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - who has dedicated her life to raising awareness of the devastation of war on Iraq and its people and who works tirelessly to bring relief to Iraqis both inside and out of Iraq for her generous contribution that is providing a tutor, school supplies and clothes to a young Iraqi girl - and much, much more</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hussein al-Alak / Iraq Solidarity Committee & Combat Stress UK </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- for his friendship and for raising funds and awareness of our work - our gratitude!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mori </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">D Samel-Garloff, Joanne Navikas & friends </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- for organizing political caroling each Christmas while collecting donations for CRP</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Debbie Rodriguez / OASIS RESCUE</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - for sending a beauty-shop-in-a-box to one of our Iraqi women who resettled to the US and needed supplies to do hair and make-up for her neighbors so she could earn money to help feed her family during this difficult time of adjustment to their new country</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lucy Perkins</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - special thanks for helping to initiate HOPE WORKSHOP (our Iraqi women’s craft co-op), for marketing and creating a web site for them and their products.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Karen Ahern</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - for taking on selling our Pashmina shawls to raise funds for our work - as well as our Iraqi Women’s Craft co-op products.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ll of you who spent time, clipping magazine images</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and sending them to us to use in our Teen/Young adult collage class - thank you! The kids are having a great time with the clippings.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Karen B Jones </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- CRP Outreach Liaison volunteer in Seattle who tirelessly works wonders creating fun fundraisers that bring many people together to support our work. Thank you, Karen!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marilyn Costamagna</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - who is our volunteer behind-the-scenes miracle woman, running errands, putting together all of our thank you and holiday cards, operating our informational tables, and basically keeping our loose ends from fraying! We couldn’t do it without you, Marilyn - thank you!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anonymous Angels </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- several of you have responded personally, contributing to help specific families in a big way when you have read about them through our Facebook postings. Your help has vastly improved the lives of these families. Our deepest gratitude to you for reaching out with a helping hand and with your friendship. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We appreciate YOU - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the many unnamed angels who have donated throughout the year. You keep our programs going and the hope alive for so many. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are deeply appreciative of the continued support of individuals like you. Your support nourishes the lives of those who struggle daily for basic necessities of food, shelter and dignity. When you plan your year end, tax deductible charitable giving, please remember the many Iraqi refugees who need our help</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our gratitude and warmest wishes for a new year bright with joy and filled with peace</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PLEASE </span><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #990000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">DONATE NOW</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’d like to receive our UPDATE to your e-mail, please </span><a href="mailto:subscribe.crp@gmail.com"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">subscribe</span></a></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-15694888345909756972010-12-24T00:08:00.000-08:002010-12-24T00:08:56.718-08:00Caroling for CRP<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Our thanks Mori Samel-Garloff and Joanne Novikas for organizing four days of “political caroling” in Ashland, OR, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">in support</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> of CRP. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">All donations collected will go to support our programs. I had the pleasure of caroling with Mori and Joanne on Sunday, Dec 19<sup>th</sup>. At our last stop the child in the photo took off her winter coat to show off her shiny red dress while she danced to our songs. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TRRO2eXG-gI/AAAAAAAABhc/Rd27e_MfsWA/s1600/dancing+child.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TRRO2eXG-gI/AAAAAAAABhc/Rd27e_MfsWA/s200/dancing+child.JPG" width="188" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">And thanks to Kate Gould, who wrote the following article and photos which she posted on Rogue Valley Indy Media . </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://rogueimc.org/en/2010/12/16768.shtml">http://rogueimc.org/en/2010/12/16768.shtml</a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">and agreed to share here. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Bravo for braving winter’s wrath, undaunted and upbeat.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">“On Friday December 17th, my sister Beth Gould and I joined the organizers of the effort, Mori Samel-Garloff and Joanne Navickas, in a fun-filled evening belting out the most vibrant and witty peace carols I ever could have imagined. It was only after a Bloomsbury employee came out and asked where the songs came from that I learned that many are Sami-Garloff/Navickas originals! Mori and Joanne told me that every year they write new songs. The results are astoundingly creative calls for an end to war and sizing down the bloated U.S. military budget. Other songs call for the protection of veterans, homeless, children, and other vulnerable populations inside of our country and for victims of war and suffering in foreign lands.<br />
<br />
“The streets were fairly empty that night as the wind howled and rain poured, but those who did pass by on the way in or out of Bloomsbury Books or restaurants on the plaza were overwhelmingly supportive and several contributed to the coffee can collection for the Collateral Repair Project (CRP), a local non-profit serving Iraqi refugees in Amman, Jordan. One fan joined us and taught us a new Christmas carol. Others made their appreciation known by gleeful grins, spontaneous bursts of applause, joyous cheers, and the classic "thumbs up" signal of approval.<br />
<br />
“It was a memorable evening for all involved and kudos should be given to the organizers for bringing vitality and community connection not only to the streets of Ashland but also to the streets of Amman where so many Iraqi refugees are working to rebuild lives torn apart by the U.S.-invasion and occupation of their country.<br />
<br />
“Mori told me that it's become quite a holiday tradition over the last four years. When I asked Mori what motivated her to organize the caroling, she said "it it is important to not to take a single thing for granted and to continue working in action towards a better world." She told me that it feels great to be able to send some support back to The Collateral Repair Project (CRP). </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TRRQiVE3eCI/AAAAAAAABhg/BUizyaTtCOU/s1600/carolling+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TRRQiVE3eCI/AAAAAAAABhg/BUizyaTtCOU/s200/carolling+2010.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TRRQl8l4maI/AAAAAAAABhk/GYFMScfDMdc/s1600/carollingB+2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TRRQl8l4maI/AAAAAAAABhk/GYFMScfDMdc/s200/carollingB+2010.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"> </span><br />
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“The Collateral Repair Project (CRP) is a southern Oregon-based, grassroots movement created to address the catastrophic displacement of 5 million Iraqis since the U.S.-invasion of 2003. Since precious few Iraqis are allowed to enter the formal sector workforce in Jordan, CRP's micro-projects provide desperately needed income generating and educational opportunities. CRP also facilitates the cumbersome bureaucratic process for Iraqi refugees to access vital assistance from the United Nations Agency for Refugees (UNHCR) and other NGOs. CRP runs a Family Resource and Community Center and many other projects which you can get a sampling at their blog: <a href="http://collateralrepairproject.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://collateralrepairproject.blogspot.com/</a> or website: <a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/" target="_blank">http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate" target="_blank">http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate</a>)<br />
<br />
Here is a small taste of these witty, creative lyrics:<br />
<br />
Ode to Bernie (Sung to the tune of "It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas)<br />
~Mori Samel-Garloff<br />
"Dreams that Congress were all a bit like Bernie,<br />
Senator of Vermont,<br />
Bravely telling it like it is, the country in war business<br />
Among shrinking working class, and wealthy want!..."<br />
<br />
Ditty on War Toy Alternatives (To the Tune of "Jingle Bells")<br />
~Author unknown<br />
Little kids will learn by what their parents do,<br />
So when you buy their toys, it's really up to you,<br />
If you buy them guns, you teach them how to kill,<br />
But violence is not a game and we have had our fill...<br />
<br />
You can buy them books, and dolls and cars that run<br />
There's lots of things that you can get, but they don't need a gun<br />
You can give them hugs, and teach them how to play<br />
So they'll grow up all safe and sound and not get blown away! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">THANK YOU KATE, BETH, MORI AND JOANNE and DANCER IN RED</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><br />
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</div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-51086265641394939542010-11-14T13:20:00.000-08:002010-12-11T19:06:00.727-08:00<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">SUNK IN A VORTEX, cont’d<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Our initial contact with this family came through a hand written letter by the mother, describing the family’s economic and emotional downward spiral since fleeing to Jordan. The family left Iraq in Spring 2010 following a death threat. You can read the report and excerpts from the letter in the previous post. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOAOcBDdTFI/AAAAAAAABgo/0eGXqhjV-lY/s1600/nov+11+amman+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOAOcBDdTFI/AAAAAAAABgo/0eGXqhjV-lY/s200/nov+11+amman+013.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOAM_IlzX5I/AAAAAAAABgk/-tJjDW7QbXA/s1600/nov+11+amman+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">On Thursday we paid our first visit to the family. We found that they live in a two room apartment with peeling paint and no furniture except one plastic chair and worn carpets. There are no closets or wardrobes for clothing and personal items. The family’s meals are prepared on a small, one burner gas stove in a corner of their kitchen. Cooking utensils are sparse. They don’t have a refrigerator for proper storage of perishables, which makes shopping every day both more expensive and time-consuming for a family of 6. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">In the sleeping room a large section of the plaster had fallen from the ceiling while the children were playing in the room. Fortunately no one was hurt but they are justifiably afraid that more will fall this winter when the rains arrive. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOAMsAHgCWI/AAAAAAAABgg/vBq6Cek-emQ/s1600/nov+11+amman+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOAMsAHgCWI/AAAAAAAABgg/vBq6Cek-emQ/s200/nov+11+amman+016.JPG" width="150" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Propped against the wall on one side of the sleeping room a piece of wood, approximately 3’x3’, serves as a makeshift blackboard for the children to write on (Mom says they love to write). It was the only visible “toy” in the apartment. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">They sleep on two single size foam mats which they put together into one bed. Nights are getting cold now and they have no heat, so they all bundle together at night under their two blankets. Fortunately, one of CRP’s Iraqi friends donated a crib for the baby and she no longer has to sleep on the floor. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBAuJvEsBI/AAAAAAAABhA/MqGo4pyltmE/s1600/nov+11+amman+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBAuJvEsBI/AAAAAAAABhA/MqGo4pyltmE/s200/nov+11+amman+023.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBAJSuvILI/AAAAAAAABg8/pOU0aVFzHZ8/s1600/nov+11+amman+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBAJSuvILI/AAAAAAAABg8/pOU0aVFzHZ8/s200/nov+11+amman+012.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">The couple is clearly depressed and their sense of hopelessness is visible. The older children – 3, 6 and 8 years -- don’t smile or respond to friendly overtures, even when we handed them small gifts, our custom when visiting families with children. They seemed to regard us with a wariness tantamount to suspicion, but likely a result of trauma from the sudden, life-altering circumstances they have endured. Their parents both have university degrees, held professional jobs and lived a comfortable life prior to the invasion in 2003. Now they are destitute with no opportunity to work. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBP8FuuLqI/AAAAAAAABhU/jmTLvBdwxnM/s1600/nov+11+amman+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBP8FuuLqI/AAAAAAAABhU/jmTLvBdwxnM/s200/nov+11+amman+009.JPG" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBRFQMSPeI/AAAAAAAABhY/tKKPRF0W1I0/s1600/nov+11+amman+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBRFQMSPeI/AAAAAAAABhY/tKKPRF0W1I0/s200/nov+11+amman+010.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">The three oldest daughters attend school and Dad says that, despite their circumstances, they are doing very well, adding with clear pride “they are very smart.” But they lack the all the required school supplies – copy books, pencils, erasers, etc -- and have only one backpack to share between them. They also need new shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">The wife, who speaks excellent English , expressed a genuinely deep passion for children’s and women’s rights and welfare, especially education. She brightened and became animated when we discussed with her the possibility of tutoring another Iraqi child who has missed much school and was unable to enroll this term due to lack of room in local public schools. A donor had contributed funds for a tutor but we have been searching for a qualified person. This mother seems a perfect fit. As she expressed, “I want to pay my own way.”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">The family does not receive UNHCR cash assistance and has fallen 4 months behind in rent. Fortunately, according to the father, the landlord is very sympathetic to their situation. But this is still a debt that one day must be reconciled. UNHCR cash assistance is not retroactive to the time of registration and may even be denied altogether. They have no money to provide even their basic needs and have been minimally surviving on the charity of others for food. The mother worries about her children, stating that they are not receiving proper nutrition and have become noticeably </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">pale.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBDdMrHCMI/AAAAAAAABhI/xRGSi02Ao6M/s1600/family+part+2+-+and+welcome+ruqaya+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBDdMrHCMI/AAAAAAAABhI/xRGSi02Ao6M/s200/family+part+2+-+and+welcome+ruqaya+020.JPG" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">The multitude of needs for this family is overwhelming and beyond CRP’s current resources. However, thanks to several donors who have responded, we went shopping for the family and were able to purchase blankets for all as well as sturdy, cloth covered sleeping mats, clothes for the baby and all the necessary school supplies. We also found a used stove in good condition. Today, everything was delivered to them. They will still need a heater for winter, coats and shoes for the children, help with back rent, a refrigerator and food.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">This family is only one of a whole host in similar straits and serves as one example of the conditions and hardships thousands are enduring. With more refugees arriving from Iraq, the situation compounds daily. Most wait for months for UNHCR cash assistance, living lives of desperation while debts accrue, hopelessness overwhelms and the sense of dignity slowly crumbles. For them, the consequences of war are everyday life. CRP needs your help to address a small part of an overwhelming situation.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">You can donate at <a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/">www.collateralrepairproject.org</a></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBFOgZDg1I/AAAAAAAABhQ/uklBd4MZDA0/s1600/family+part+2+-+and+welcome+ruqaya+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TOBFOgZDg1I/AAAAAAAABhQ/uklBd4MZDA0/s200/family+part+2+-+and+welcome+ruqaya+009.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-65436169910471747082010-11-04T00:09:00.000-07:002010-11-04T00:09:29.372-07:00SUNK IN A VORTEX<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sunk in a Vortex<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the short week of being back in Amman I have been overwhelmed by the changes in CRP since my last visit just 8 months ago. In April, CRP moved to a much larger apartment, realizing a long held dream of becoming a bona fide Family Resource and Community Center. The larger quarters now facilitate several levels of English classes, the Women’s Craft Coop, a lending library, a weekly Men’s Dominoes Night, Kid’s Art and Music activities and a “Free Store” for distribution of donated clothing, blankets and household items. None of this would have been possible in the previous small apartment out of which we operated. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CRP is now well established in the Iraqi refugee community and known throughout the neighborhood as a place where Iraqis feel free and at ease to engage in a range of activities. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But CRP is more than classes and social events. We continue to provide emergency assistance as our small budget allows and this part of our project is also well known within the community. Almost daily we are approached by one or more individuals whose family situations are desperate and who have endured the unthinkable – torture, death threats, kidnappings and murder of family members.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Usually we are contacted by mobile phone or learn of a case from another Iraqi refugee. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But on Monday night we received a handwritten appeal given to Sasha by a young man, just as two English classes were getting underway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no opportunity to read the letter until the end of the evening, after all had left and the Center again became our living quarters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The letter is written in beautiful handwriting and eloquent English. The woman who wrote it introduces herself as a mother and former English teacher in Iraq. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last February her husband was threatened with death and fled to Jordan seeking asylum. His wife joined him three months later with their 5 small children including an infant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She writes: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I was so optimistic to get the chance of a better life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But unfortunately I found myself sunk in another vortex!! …Till I lost hope in seeing light in the end of the dark tunnel I’m rushing through.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now they are living in an apartment “small as a cell” with no furniture or refrigerator, for which they pay $127 a month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>“My little baby sleeps on the ground without a cradle like other babies all over the world. It tears my heart apart. I live in real anguish and perplexity.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They are not receiving UNHCR cash assistance and are now 7 months behind in rent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few weeks ago she had to sell her wedding ring to buy food for her children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It can take months after registering with UNHCR to receive cash assistance and then, it is often denied. In the meantime, debts pile up and days are spent going from one NGO to another pleading for help, adding to the drain on their meager finances. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our letter writer ends her appeal with these words:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I’m writing to you with the tongue of motherhood for the mother is a shoulder to lean on, two arms to comfort and most of all a heart to love…”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stay tuned for further news on this family. In the coming days we will arrange a home visit to meet the family and further assess their needs and possibilities to help them. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Please consider donating to help this mother and the many other parents whose lives and dreams have been so tragically shattered. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>www.collateralrepairproject.org<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</span></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-1791998239763385352010-11-01T14:14:00.000-07:002010-11-01T14:17:29.989-07:00Short Note from AmmanCRP co-director, Mary Madsen, and I returned to Amman a little over a week ago. We were in the USA for 5 weeks taking care of administrative chores and are happy to be back to our direct work with Iraqi refugees here. Lots and lots has happened since the last time we posted - in fact, CRP is accomplishing so much that we never have the time to post!<br />
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We've opened a small Family Resource and Community Center in Amman! In addition to English language courses (three levels!) taught by a team of wonderful volunteers, we also have a lending library, "free store" of good used donated items, Men's Dominoes Night (a men-only social night out), Women's Craft Co-op, and children and teen art classes. All of this in addition to our "usual" full schedule of visiting families and providing them with emergency and other assistance. <br />
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Many new families have arrived in Amman in 2010, fleeing from the continuing violence and threats of death in Iraq. They arrive with practically nothing and must wait months before they are determined as eligible or not for the small monthly cash assistance grant from UNHCR. In the meantime, while they must wait, many are in crisis with no way to pay the rent or even put food on the table. We are constantly getting pleas for help with food, rent and basic household necessities - like blankets and sleeping mats.<br />
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Our funds are frighteningly low - right now we only have enough cash in our assistance budget to get us through this first week of November. If there is one thing worse than seeing a family in crisis it is not being able to respond with the help they need.<br />
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Please consider helping these families. We can't do it without YOU!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate">DONATE</a></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-477972413901235632010-07-30T23:09:00.000-07:002010-07-30T23:09:46.668-07:00Making a House a (Safe) Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">CRP has known Thigeel , his wife, Kareema</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"> and their lovely children for a couple of years. When we are in Amman, we visit them every few months to bring the children gifts and provide assistance. as Thigeel suffers from chronic asma and lung infections and the cost of medications for him take a huge chunk out of their small UNHCR cash assistance grant.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TFO3C5M-3LI/AAAAAAAABgI/KkNkZV9qATE/s1600/thigeel+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TFO3C5M-3LI/AAAAAAAABgI/KkNkZV9qATE/s320/thigeel+collage.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">I ran into Thigeel and his family the other night when I was walking in my neighborhood. I was surprised to see them here as they have been living in another area of Amman as long as we've known them, I asked what they were doing in Hashimi Shemali and they told us excitedly that they had just moved here - that there was too much crime in their old area and they were worried about their children. I promised we would visit them in their new home soon.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">We visited on Wednesday and, after the customary kisses hello, Kareema said "We have known you since 2007 and you never forget us" - How can we, these kids are so lovely and even though they live in abject poverty, Thigeel and Kareema have always taken very good care of their kids. They proudly told us the children are all in the tops of their classes in school.</span></div></span><br />
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</span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"> I was nearly brought to tears when Kareema asked me, "This is a much more beautiful home, isn't it?" because, it is true - this new flat, despite being incredibly run down and with plaster crumbling off its moldy walls, IS a huge improvement over their previous homes. You or I would cry if we had to move our family into this new flat and this family was proud of and so very pleased with it!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">We decided to give this family a home-warming gift that will make their new place more livable and, most importantly, help with Thigeel's lung problems.</span></span><br />
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We called Ali (who was a painter by trade before he had to flee Iraq and who is CRP's unofficial handyman) and asked him to meet us there to give us an estimate to repair and paint the entire interior with mold-resistant paint! I asked Kareema what color of paint she would like and she immediately responded "White. Clean white"</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TFO4vZD9xSI/AAAAAAAABgQ/bGhjdJoxPpk/s1600/thigeel+painter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TFO4vZD9xSI/AAAAAAAABgQ/bGhjdJoxPpk/s320/thigeel+painter.jpg" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">We also found out that they are drinking tap water - very unsafe in Amman - and that the youngest had gotten sick from it many times. Buying small-size plastic bottles of water from the market is expensive, especially with a family of this size. We ordered 2 large bottles of water from the distributor CRP gets it's drinking water from (at only $1.40 per bottle) and made arrangements for the distributor to bring the family water when they need it.<br />
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Their new home is bare and we will also provide donated mattresses from our distribution room.</span> </span>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-19924226795680474832010-07-26T22:19:00.000-07:002010-07-27T19:56:13.351-07:00Success in Seattle<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">THANK YOU SEATTLE<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">We are thrilled to report that Seattle area donors generously contributed almost $4,000 to Collateral Repair Project. Our heartfelt thanks go to the people in the Seattle area for their kindness. These funds were raised on June 2</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">nd</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"> at a musical fundraiser and auction was held at St. Patrick’s Church in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">People came from all over the region and for an enjoyable evening of song, music and fabulous desserts. Folk-singers, Jim Paige and Mark Taylor-Canfield as well as rousing singing of the Seattle Labor Chorus provided the entertainment. Our thanks go to the many talented individuals and local bakeries who provided their luscious treats for the dessert auction. We’d also like to thank individuals and local businesses who donated items and services to the silent auction Of special interest were the quilts featuring pictures drawn by Iraqi children in Amman. They were beautifully made by quilters in Vancouver, WA who generously gave of their time and effort. Mary Madsen, co-director of CRP, spoke about current projects and her recent experiences in Amman.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TE5nrJQLB0I/AAAAAAAABfQ/v_LPWCaLdKQ/s1600/kids+art+-+raad+%26+hayfaah+-+majida+fridge+-+dominoes+dads+168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TE5nrJQLB0I/AAAAAAAABfQ/v_LPWCaLdKQ/s200/kids+art+-+raad+%26+hayfaah+-+majida+fridge+-+dominoes+dads+168.jpg" width="150" /></span></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TE5qMUTcnPI/AAAAAAAABfY/UbTzNgRMy2c/s1600/flower+photos+2+AND+MUCH+MORE+086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TE5qMUTcnPI/AAAAAAAABfY/UbTzNgRMy2c/s200/flower+photos+2+AND+MUCH+MORE+086.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Funds from this event have enabled Collateral Repair Project to provide several families in need with meat and chicken, back rent for a family facing eviction, emergency room expenses and medication for a man with no money who had a medical emergency, purchase of a sewing machine for a micro-project, diapers and newborn kits for three families with newborns, purchase and for delivery of two used, good condition refrigerators, give cash assistance to families we visited who had no have no income and began monthly cash assistance to a man who has no cash assistance from UNHCR and no other means of self support. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TE-b_oxGPPI/AAAAAAAABfg/roXIgaUsSCc/s1600/karen%27s+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TE-b_oxGPPI/AAAAAAAABfg/roXIgaUsSCc/s400/karen%27s+blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Karen Jones, our NW Regional Volunteer Liasion and a team of just 4 people put together this event—Jean Darsie, Cobra, Ruth Williams. On site, Fred Miller of Peace Action, Rosemary Lavisor, Sonjia Tilton and Martina Boyd were invaluable in setting up for the event. Bob Morgan of Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation did an amazing job on the sound. “We enjoyed doing this event so much and are so happy that it was successful beyond our expectations,” said Karen. “If anyone reading this is interested in having an event or house-party for CRP, I’d be happy to speak with you and share some ideas.” To learn more about this event, auction items, co-sponsors etc, check-out </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://crpseattle.pbworks.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">http://crpseattle.pbworks.com/</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">. To contact Karen about having an event or house-party, email </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><a href="mailto:peacework42@gmail.com" target="_blank">peacework42@gmail.com</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">CRP sends our heartfelt thanks to all who made it possible to provide much needed assistance to so many Iraqi refugees.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8331406375342102300.post-84115166563550777522010-07-19T22:50:00.000-07:002010-07-19T22:50:26.501-07:00CRP LIBRARY OPENS ITS DOOR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="javascript:void(0)">Preview</a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TEPgCuq-L8I/AAAAAAAABeY/C-kLdBBJ1bw/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TEPgCuq-L8I/AAAAAAAABeY/C-kLdBBJ1bw/s400/Slide2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">It was during our first trip to Amman for CRP three years ago that we originally listened to Iraqi refugees voice their desire to establish a lending library available to the refugee community. As non-residents, they have no access to public libraries and little money to purchase their own books. They told us that reading provides that intangible sense of a greater world being open to them. Free access to a library gives a sense of dignity, so damaged by their circumstances, along with feeling a part of a community and as a means to enhance their children's lives and education. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We have held this dream for 3 years. On July 15th CRP opened the doors to that dream. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TETvqPe03KI/AAAAAAAABeg/FcIlPKeLSNI/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TETvqPe03KI/AAAAAAAABeg/FcIlPKeLSNI/s640/Slide1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">On our opening night, 15 books were checked out!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;">We purchase Arabic language books from a bookseller in Amman who has a wide variety of books for all ages and of all genres at very reasonable costs. Iraqi volunteers catalog the books according to genre and color-code them on the our shelves. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"> </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TEUzHGCpNnI/AAAAAAAABfA/VewhHymFl9M/s1600/books+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cAYzgTkV2n0/TEUzHGCpNnI/AAAAAAAABfA/VewhHymFl9M/s320/books+2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">To enhance our library project we're excited to initiate our first book discussion group. They'll start with "When Wolves Grow Old" by Jordanian author Jamal Naji. The book was on the short list for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, which is part of the prestigious Booker Prize. After the group reads and discusses the book, they'll start another, passing the first book to a new group. In this way, our library grows as well as community connections for the participants. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Our shelves are modestly stocked for now but we have faith that, with the good will of our supporters, they will fill. Just $100 a month will pay for ten books for the discussion group and a stipend for our librarian who will lead the discussion and supervise the library. If you are part of a book club or book discussion group, it would be a wonderful gift if your group could pitch in a small amount each month toward Iraqi refugees' literary discourse. If your group does this, CRP could share photos and messages between the groups for an even broader community of literature lovers and another step toward peace. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Would you like to join our "book club"? Email us at crp.info@gmail.com if you'd like to do this. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
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</span></div>Collateral Repair Project UPDATEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00219258978476098243noreply@blogger.com