Looking for Trouble

Guest blog from Gerri Haynes: Working and learning in Gaza

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She will be sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.

The universal trauma to the people of Gaza continues to be central to the lessons we are learning.

The medicines we brought with us to the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme were received warmly – so many medicines are in short supply here.

The level of unemployment is very high (39% or much more) and we are learning of small businesses that are in development – attempts to provide family security in an insecure environment.

We are continuing with clinic and hospital work – and expanding our connections with the work going on in this imprisoned land.

Dr. Don Mellman, neurosurgeon and mediator, writes that today he assisted the project director and field directors of the non-governmental organization, Sharak, with their student project between two universities. Students from the Islamic University (Hamas) and Al Azhar University (Fatah) are working together to create dialogue, reconciliation and national unity. The project is funded by UNDP and the Carter Center.

This afternoon, most members of our group visited the Islamic University and were treated to the end-of-the year senior science exhibits. Delightful creativity and hope were built into projects designed to improve automatic irrigation, mobile test-taking, emergency phone dialing, home security systems, jar sealing, home lighting control and dozens of others.

One recent student (now working with the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme) related how, during the Israeli Operation Cast Lead (2009), she survived emotionally by concentrating fully on her studies – preparing successfully for the examinations that were delayed due to the bombing. She described walking around with her book in her hands, studying while the bombs fell – determined to succeed.

Again and again, resilience.

Our group: Physicians: Richard Grady, Pediatric Urology; David Hall, Child and Family Psychiatry; Laura Hart, Urology; Robert Haynes, Cardiology; Donald Mellman, Neurosurgery; Howard Putter, Orthopedics. Minister/counselor: Anne Hall. Nurse consultants: Debra Goff, Gerri Haynes.