Caroling for CRP

Our thanks Mori Samel-Garloff and Joanne Novikas for organizing four days of “political caroling” in Ashland, OR, in support of CRP.  All donations collected will go to support our programs. I had the pleasure of caroling with Mori and Joanne on Sunday, Dec 19^th.  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.

And thanks to Kate Gould, who wrote the following article and photos which she posted on Rogue Valley Indy Media . http://rogueimc.org/en/2010/12/16768.shtml  and agreed to share here.  Bravo for braving winter’s wrath, undaunted and upbeat.

“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.

“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.

“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.

“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). 

 

“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: http://collateralrepairproject.blogspot.com/ or website:  http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/

http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/donate)

Here is a small taste of these witty, creative lyrics:

Ode to Bernie (Sung to the tune of "It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas)
~Mori Samel-Garloff
"Dreams that Congress were all a bit like Bernie,
Senator of Vermont,
Bravely telling it like it is, the country in war business
Among shrinking working class, and wealthy want!..."

Ditty on War Toy Alternatives (To the Tune of "Jingle Bells")
~Author unknown
Little kids will learn by what their parents do,
So when you buy their toys, it's really up to you,
If you buy them guns, you teach them how to kill,
But violence is not a game and we have had our fill...

You can buy them books, and dolls and cars that run
There's lots of things that you can get, but they don't need a gun
You can give them hugs, and teach them how to play
So they'll grow up all safe and sound and not get blown away! 

THANK YOU KATE, BETH, MORI AND JOANNE and DANCER IN RED

SUNK IN A VORTEX, cont’d

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.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.”
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 pale.

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.

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.

You can donate at  www.collateralrepairproject.org

 . 

SUNK IN A VORTEX

Sunk in a Vortex

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.  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.

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.  Usually we are contacted by mobile phone or learn of a case from another Iraqi refugee.

But on Monday night we received a handwritten appeal given to Sasha by a young man, just as two English classes were getting underway.  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.

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.  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. 

She writes:

“I was so optimistic to get the chance of a better life.  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.”

Now they are living in an apartment “small as a cell” with no furniture or refrigerator, for which they pay $127 a month.  “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.”

They are not receiving UNHCR cash assistance and are now 7 months behind in rent.  A few weeks ago she had to sell her wedding ring to buy food for her children. 

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.  

Our letter writer ends her appeal with these words:

“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…”

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.

Please consider donating to help this mother and the many other parents whose lives and dreams have been so tragically shattered.  www.collateralrepairproject.org

Short Note from Amman

CRP 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!

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.

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.

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.

Please consider helping these families. We can't do it without YOU!

DONATE

Making a House a (Safe) Home

CRP has known Thigeel , his wife, Kareema 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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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"

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.

Their new home is bare and we will also provide donated mattresses from our distribution room.

Success in Seattle

THANK YOU SEATTLE

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^nd at a musical fundraiser and auction was held at St. Patrick’s Church in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle.

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.

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.

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 http://crpseattle.pbworks.com/.  To contact Karen about having an event or house-party, email peacework42@gmail.com

CRP sends our heartfelt thanks to all who made it possible to provide much needed assistance to so many Iraqi refugees.

CRP LIBRARY OPENS ITS DOOR

Preview

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. 

We have held this dream for 3 years. On July 15th CRP opened the doors to that dream. 

On our opening night, 15 books were checked out!

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. 

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.  

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. 

Would you like to join our "book club"? Email us at crp.info@gmail.com if you'd like to do this. 

So Much Depends Upon a Cold Drink and New Friends

Raad and Hayfaah, a Sabean-Mendaean couple, arrived in Amman recently, having fled Baghdad following a kidnapping attempt on Hayfaah. She tried to escape by jumping into a taxi but the militia opened fire on the taxi, hitting her in the face numerous times. Amazingly, she lived but lost one eye completely and is losing sight in her remaining eye. Her nose was reconstructed but is without bones. She was pregnant with their first child but lost it because of the attack and she is now unable to conceive. She appears to have affective disorder – blank expression, no real response, even when her husband was breaking down sobbing. We suggested counseling but they stated they are doing fine. Being newly arrived, they are likely appreciating and absorbing the sense of relief from fear. Possibly, that relief is so great that it is masking their feelings of despondency - for now.

Having only recently arrived in Jordan, they do not yet have the cash assistance from UNHCR but, even when they do begin receiving it, they will only receive120JD per month. Their little flat with its very small windows was swelteringly hot so we rushed to get them a fan to cool it a bit. We are also looking for a decent second-hand refrigerator for them. Refrigerators are especially critical for the poorest because they save food from spoilage, making their meager purchases last longer -not to mention giving them the pleasure of being able to drink cold water during the searing summers here.

Last week, Raad attended Dominoes Night and both he and Hayfaah attended the social for the first time! We were surprised and pleased that she did, considering her emotional state on our initial contact and the fact that her face is so very battered and she is nearly blind.

After our initial home visit, we were able to purchase a used refrigerator for the couple, in addition to the fan purchased earlier. These two items help ease their difficult and spare living conditions. When they attended the Social Night, Hayfaah exclaimed how good it was to be able to a have a glass of cold water now. 

Their participation in CRP activities at the Family and Community Resource Center is an encouraging sign. They now have a social outlet from their previous isolation that will help them to cope with the trauma they have so recently been through. It also points graphically to the importance of the CRP Center in providing a sanctuary for those who lack options for a respite from past traumas and present hardships. 

Living on the Edge of a Ravine

We visited 51 year old Majeda in her one room flat in a sparsely populated neighborhood on the edge of a ravine overlooking the highway. Her only furniture is a hard single bed, a wooden chair and table, and her suitcase which she uses as a chest of drawers and contains all that she owns.  Her kitchen consists of a small, one burner propane stove. She has no refrigerator or cupboards.


She, her husband, two sons and two daughters fled from the area they lived in when they received a threat message, that began "To the dirty faithless" (Majeda and her family are of Sabean-Mendai faith - pacifists who follow the teachings of John the Baptist) and went on to tell them to leave or that this group would take "God's vengence" out on them (they would be killed).  They fled to another part of Iraq and thought they were safe until gunmen stormed into their home and shot and killed two of her daughters in front of her and her husband.  Her husband suffered a stroke while this was happening.  The couple also had two sons - one married with a wife and two little children.  They "disappeared" and all are assumed dead. She said that they were a very close loving family and that they would have been in touch if they were still alive.  A year after their daughters were brutally murdered in front of them, Majeda's husband died from complications from his stroke and, as she speculates, of a broken heart.

She has one remaining child - a married daughter with three children who had been resettled to Sweden. She hopes that she may be able to join her daughter some day but, for now anyway, there is no hope for this as her case is still in the "Protection" unit.  Even if her case gets moved to the "resettlement" unit, there is no guarantee she will be able to join her daughter - Sweden is not accepting any more Iraqis at this time and we do not know when or if they will in the future,  Also, many Iraqis are resettled in nations that are far away from those where other family members are already resettled.  She is naturally very worried about this and it adds to her distress.

She came to Jordan with only a few hundred dollars in savings.  When we met her, she had only 54JD remaining and her rent of 50JD was due in a few days.  She has no financial help from friends or family. She does not yet receive UNHCR cash assistance and, since she arrived in March, it may be a few months more until she does receive it.   CRP gave her 20JD in emergency assistance money so that she could buy food. We will write to UNHCR to ask that they consider 
expediting approval for her to receive the cash assistance grant (which may or may not be successful)  Even if Majeda gets the cash assistance, it will only be 75JD per month (the same as all single persons receive) and, after paying her rent, will not leave her sufficient funds to pay for food, medications or transportation.

Majeda is at extreme risk.  The trauma she's suffered - and is still suffering - makes her particularly vulnerable. It is hard enough to try to manage survival for those who have family around them to support them but, for Majeda, these challenges can easily push her over the edge and increase her suicidal tendency.

CRP would like to be able to provide Majeda with 20JD ($30) every month for at least 6 months to provide some security for her and to ease her worries.  We would like to purchase a small refrigerator for her because food spoils rapidly in the intense heat of summer here and, because of her health, she cannot walk the distance to the souk to purchase food frequently. We want to stay in frequent contact with her so that we can be there for her to listen to her and support her emotionally.

The cost of providing Majeda with all of these things would be approximately $350

UPDATE: We were able to purchase a small, used refrigerator for Majida, which eases her hard life to some degree. But she still lacks so much in other areas of life -- rent, food, medications and transportation -- that she remains one of the most vulnerable refugees.

Mohammed, a single man, has been in Jordan approximately 2 years. When we visited his home we saw that he has practically nothing. He is not receiving cash assistance and struggles to pay the rent for his depressingly bleak studio apartment by doing odd jobs as he can find them.   

Recently, when Mohammed refused to pay extortion money to a local thug, he was wrongly accused of sexual assault on the extortionist’s younger sister. When the court demanded a physical examination of the young girl, the family refused and claimed that the assault was actually against a young son in the family. The accusations were made in retaliation for Mohammed not paying a demand for money and because he stood up to their bullying.  The UNHCR human rights and legal organization partner sent a lawyer who met with him only one time, having him sign papers agreeing to their representation -- and then they never returned, forcing him to hire a private attorney. He was acquitted and all charges dropped finally - but not until he had been in jail many months and incurred a lawyer's bill of 4,000 JD - which, of course, he is unable to pay.  A wealthy "sponsor" paid the bill but now he owes this sponsor the 4 grand and the sponsor is holding his passport as "collateral" until he pays. 

He does not yet receive cash assistance. CRP will intervene with UNHCR on his behalf in hope of facilitating UNHCR assessing him for eligibility for cash assistance.  CRP also hires  Mohammed for handy-man work as needed. Mohammed refuses to take money he does not earn.

CRP provided Mohammed with items from our distribution center and, with donations generously provided through Iraq Solidarity in the UK, we bought a fan for his stiffling apartment and we are looking for a small, used refrigerator for him.

CRP Today March 26, 2010

IT TAKES SO LITTLE TO HELP SO MUCH

It's been two months exactly since I posted my last "TODAY" but even if I haven't posted, all of the days between March and now have been filled to overflowing with the work of CRP. We moved into the new location and have set up the distribution and activities rooms. We have held weekly English Language Socials where native and skilled English speakers join Iraqi learners for food, conversation and friendship. We are holding weekly Kids Art & Music Activities groups and Iraqi men meet here one night a week for an evening of playing dominoes (a favorite past-time when they lived in Iraq), drinking gowah (Turkish coffee) and laughs. Our new and improved Iraqi Women's Craft Co-op will begin meeting here this week. We have begun to set up a lending library. We offer Iraqis the opportunity to call relatives and friends who have been resettled to the USA and Canada for free through a nifty device that works through the internet. We will start taking family portraits soon so that they will have record of their children's growth during these years in exile when they cannot afford a studio portrait or even an inexpensive camera. And, of course, we continue to visit families and to provide them with what critically needed assistance we can.

I had hoped to "catch up" with detailed reports of all of these things but that's too formidable a task that is impossible to carry out because the current demands of each day just will not allow it. Instead, I will jump back in and post these reports as I can - hopefully more frequently. Here goes!

A Family in Immediate Need 

I met Hussen the first time two days ago when we were visiting another family and asked them if they knew of anyone needing a hospital bed that was given to us by a local donor. They told me that a neighbor (Hussen) has cancer and was hoping to have surgery soon and would need the bed in his home during his recovery period. Hussen was called and he came to the home we were visiting so that we could ask him directly if he wanted the bed.

Hussen's cancer is in his larynx and the tumors must be quite large as, when he entered his neighbor's flat, I could see that his neck area is very distended. He told us that he had been trying very hard to find funding to get the tumors removed and that through several local NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) and a wealthy Iraqi donor, he only needed $5000 more to be able to have his surgery. $5000 to a family who cannot pay the rent or buy food might as well be a million dollars. We told him that we would see if there were any options and that we wanted to visit him and his family very soon. He told us that he did want the hospital bed.

We delivered the bed, several mattresses and a sofa (all from the same donor) to them night before last. When we entered their flat, we saw that they had nothing other than a couple of mats on the floor and a small tv ( note: most flats here are rented as "furnished" - and because satellite tv is free, you will see televisions in many Iraqi homes but this does not indicate any affluence, they are included in the "furnishings") The children (all adorable as you can see) were playing with some broken toys. We quickly dropped off the donated items and promised to visit the next evening.

We brought gifts of toys for the children: crayons and paint sets with art pads, an inexpensive transistor radio for the eldest boy, Abdullah (age 10), games, action figures, and dolls with "dress up" jewelry for the only girl, Ruqaya (age 6) For the youngest, a bouncing ball. We also had light-up magic wands for all four of the kids.

             We gave their parent's more practical gifts - household cleaning supplies, some nice plates and sets of cups, and a new shirt for Hussen (all donated by local donors)

They told us how they had fled Iraq late in 2009 after Hussen's life was threatened because he worked as a security guard for the office of the UN in their area of Iraq. He knew this was a serious threat after his supervisor was murdered by the same militia. His wife's uncle was also murdered by them.

Before that, the militia had thrown a hand grenade into their home and the blast caused acoustic trauma to their eldest boy, then only 5 years old. For a while, he suffered from epilepsy but now that symptom has faded. However he still carries the trauma with him; he wakes frequently in the night, screaming, crying and ripping apart his bed clothes.

We share joy with the family that funding for the remainder of the cost of Hussen's cancer surgery has been found and he will go on Thursday to schedule for it. Even though this is a huge relief for this family, there is another concern -- Amani (his wife) is 9 months pregnant and due to deliver any time. She is bound to give birth while her husband is in the hospital (he is expected to have an extended stay of 15 days).

As if this family is not under enough pressure, they have absolutely no income. They had only $900 with them when they arrived in Jordan. Although they were frugal, that money ran out long ago. They were interviewed for eligibility for the small cash assistant grant from UNHCR in January but they still do not receive it.

They rely completely on charity and the goodness of their impoverished neighbors to survive. Last month CARE organization paid their rent. They have no idea how they can pay June's rent or even food. They have a few baby clothes ready for the new arrival but lack diapers or any type of bed to put her in.

CRP funding has dwindled dangerously so we could not, as we would have last year when funds were more abundant, pay their rent ($140) and get what they need for their baby.

All I could offer to do is to contact UNHCR and hope to urge them to expedite giving the family the cash assistance grant. I also told them that I would ask you for your help.

In response  to my contacting UNHCR we learned that the family will get the cash assistance at the END of June. This means they desperately need our help NOW to pay their rent, buy food and some small items for the soon-to-arrive new baby.
Please consider donating. We would like to provide this family with:

$140 to pay June rent
staple foods for one month
an inexpensive bassinet and diapers

Only $250 would pay for all of these things and give this family some security during this exceptionally trying time for them.

You can find out how to give here:
http://collateralrepairproject.org/Donate.html

THANK YOU!