I got back yesterday from a one week trip with a group of physicians to visit with the Syrian refugees. I was not able to write everyday since we got so busy. I will now try and get you caught up on what we did and how your recent donations helped.
I got up this morning and was able to go to the store and purchase the needed supplies for the house- as I went into the store I was thinking how we are so lucky and we do not realize that we have this option to get into our car and drive where we want and fill our fridge- we have a fridge! The people that I had just been visiting and seeing do not have these choices that we take for granted every day of our lives.
The day before I left Jordan- Wed, March 27 about 20 people decided that they wanted to go back to Syria. No matter what, they did not want to stay in the camp. The problem is that once you are in the camp it is almost impossible to leave unless you get a sponsor. You are in the camp since you came into Jordan without any paperwork, the government now has control of your life. These people wanted to leave but the Military would not let them so they started a fight and the guards had to use tear gas to stop them. What do you tell these people that find that it is better to live in a war zone then in a camp. They are not feeling that secure in the camps and they find that it is getting bigger and bigger and the diseases in the small quarters is spreading. With the warm weather starting to come you will likely have more cases of cholera, typhoid, measles, etc. Even with all the clinics it is not enough for the amount of people in the camps and the growing numbers that you have on a daily basis.
Also, we have people in the camps that are pretending to be refugees, but they are from Assad gangs and they are coming in and starting fires at night and causing a lot of problems in the camps. Some have been arrested, but it is very hard to find them and find out which ones really are supports of the FSA or of the Assad government. There is a camp for the military deserters, but who knows if they are or not- they are able to get information out to Syria and those people that are still in the country have their families targeted. This is a very dirty war.
I am glad that our group is able to go in and do some good, but we need more people to come. We need to get every Syrian living in the US and in Europe to go and see what is happening to their countrymen and women and kids. Seeing it is really seeing what is happening not what you see on TV or read in the newspapers and then switch it off and you forget. People need to come in even if for a couple of days. Maybe this summer we could have a program for teenagers for one week or 10 days to come and volunteer their time in the clinics and in the schools working with the kids. Letting them see how life can change at the snap of a finger. That one man can make life miserable for millions of people and the world is watching.
What little our group does it helps the people, we have been able to build a new Spinal Cord Injury Center that will take 90 people- this place is nice clean and has hospital beds, showers, staff.
We have an Operating Room unit that was donated by one of the doctors on the team.
We are looking for a place now for a women and children’s clinic next to the Spinal Cord clinic so that we have the people in the first clinic to move between the two and cook , clean and take care of the patients.
We have a couple of people that are willing to sponsor the orphanage that we are doing in Jordan.
We are in the process of registering Salaam Cultural Mission as a NGO in Jordan so that will help a lot with the work that we are doing. An attorney has been hired from a donation by one of the doctors that was with the group to make sure that all is legal.
We brought in over 5,000 pounds of medicine and have left this at the clinics in Maqrad, Irbid, Jordan Womens Clinic. We are working on getting condoms and birth control pills out to the women and to the men. Also, a very large number of the women are pregnant and they do not want to raise their kids in this new environment.
Three dentist that were with us on this mission – have set up a dental lab for Syrians and low income Jordanians in Irbid. They have gotten a Jordanian partner and all the services will be free of charge.
When you think of what we have been able to do in the one week –I do want to pat ourselves on the back. It is a lot of hard work, but so much dedication for our Jordanian partners and the doctors that are giving of their time to come and then come back to the US to spread the word.
We need to get medical treatment to people- we need trauma care and we need listeners. There are other groups that can get the people the food and the clothing, but there is so much more that is needed to make them feel as real people
We desperately need all your help to keep up the work that we are doing.
Another mission will be going out in late April for 10 days. We will be spreading the word. Please let people know about us and if they are able to help in any way possible.
Please make any type of contribution you can to SCM on our PayPal account
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