Food drive updates sorting food by unreasonable Israeli standards!
30/12/2008
So…we spent the last three days gathering food for Gaza. 7iber created an event on facebook to tell people about the drive…
I am not sure how things picked up, but I received messages about the drive from fifteen different people!
Now, we told people to bring food to the empty lot of land facing Cozmo… Aramex generously donated the first truck. We thought we will fill it out and go home feeling good about ourselves…
Around 1:00 Am, I was hit by a fit of hysterical laughter!… the sheer impact of looking at the mountains and mountains of stuff made me unable to stop laughing.
Hundreds upon hundreds of people showed up throughout the evening and brought stuff… some people donated truck loads…. Tens of young men and women showed up out of nowhere to help!! When we originally started, we hoped to fill one truck load, but we filled at least 16 (Thanks to Aramex that provided truck after truck) Tons and tons of cans and food and clothing were gathered.
Jordanians, Syrians, Iraqis, Palestinains, Egyptians, Europeans , Americans were there to help… .I am not sure how to describe the feeling, but seriously… my faith in the human race that was taken away by the Israelis is restored by the Arabs… and those who were there…
Two specific incidents: a mother showed up with her two kids… they are not more than 5 or 6. They gave me their small money banks ( I don’t know what they are called) they were full of coins… they donated them so that kids in Gaza can have food! I wanted to hug them… these kids will grow up to be good human beings
Incident two: around 1 am, when our energy was drained, four Egyptian workers appeared from nowhere to help us load the truck (seeing the amount of work was depressing)….they worked and worked and worked, bringing new energy into the group… we wanted to give them a tip, but they refused… they said we are brothers…
For videos, please look at Ali’s blog and of course, 7iber for constant updates
31/12/2008
We spent the day in the warehouse that was placed by Aramax at our disposal … I LOVE Aramex! At least a hundred young people showed up to help yesterday… some of them had their tawjihi exams, they finished their exams and came running to help… others were with us till 2:00 AM the previous night… we were working like an assembly line with so much passion.
We decided to attack food items… as we went on; rules of the game became evident. We had to sort the cans by the following rules:
1- Expiry date (not less than 6 months)
2- Every class of cans alone (tuna alone, soup alone, peas alone, hummos alone, beans alone… and so on)
3- no meat products are allowed.
4- Every can had to be examined to check where it came from!! If it was made in one of the countries that are enemies with Israel, the can will not make it there…
5- Any used clothing will not go through!
Now the last two points are worth contemplating… I am appalled by Israel. I can’t believe that they would put such rules at this time. What difference would used clothing do to Israel? It baffles me… people are being murdered there… 420 people so far… and thousands of injured… if this is not ethnic cleansing… i don’t know what is.
I wonder when they were being killed and the world donated stuff for them, did they care if it was new or not? Did they care if the food came from Germany or France or India?!
What worries me is that the world is not doing anything but watch…. I wonder what would have happened if the roles were reversed?
The world is unfair.
On a local front, around 100 young people decided to sacrifice their new years eve to work with us. It gets me emotional just to see the dedication these youngsters showed. Young people are always accused of not caring… well let the world be a witness to how much we care… the work was fun, hard and amazing…
These pictures have been taken by our one and only Jad
1/1/2009
We gathered in front of Cozmo at 11. We started with 20 people.. I was depressed, I thought that the number was too little. When we got to the warehouse I found another 30! They came there alone! We were around 50 people. Throughout the day people showed up alone… at around 3:00 Ramsey set off to Cosmo to bring the people who were there…
I was seriously shocked when they came back… an army of women came in, ready and determined to work… it was brilliant!
From a bird view, we would look like ants!
We started with the clothing… our beloved army of young gorgeous women, got onto the task and within hours they finished the initial sorting
As my dad says, there is still good in this world.
They wouldn’t take used clothing??? I am SO bummed.
I’m sure you will find a good use for it, maybe time to visit the refugee camps with the used stuff? Maybe need help distributing it too?
I am thrilled by the investment of Jordanian young people. I think this is a turning point for many who will now see how easy it is to get involved. You all paved the way.
Mariam and ALL the Action Committee, thank you so much for your tireless efforts and excellent example of selfless serving.
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I think it is wonderful how people can come together to help others when there is a great need! Hundreds of people have met as strangers and many will depart as friends. Good luck to all who are helping with the food drive!
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What you are doing is great madas! and even though I keep feeling that what we give is not enough..when I see it I think,I’m wrong and it does make a difference, for all the ppl bil blad I say big thanks.
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