Salem-News.com Volunteers articles Page 7

From Tahrir Square To Shatila Camp, `Hurriya` (freedom)

Palestinian refugees in Lebanon seem mesmerized by what’s been happening.

(BEIRUT, Lebanon) - Panicked Israeli leaders and their agents in Congress are busy trying to convince the American public how vital and cheap the $3 billion per year cost of Camp David is for America’s security while they know the truth is precisely the opposite.

The Tahrir Square “Hurriya!” tremors spreading across the Middle East may or may not be impacting today’s events in the historically liberal Wisconsin and other areas of America, yet most of us would agree that the Tunisian-Egyptian revolutions are being felt far and wide and appear to be dramatically gaining steam.

Visiting Nasser

The tents are flapping in the wind, you can see the two thin mattresses on the floor...

(GAZA) - It’s stormy, the wind is whipping through the trees, and scattered rain drops hit us in the face as we go down the muddy dirt road to Nasser's house. It’s a few hundred yards from the couple of houses around the cemetery, which form the village of Juhor al-Dik, to his small house near the border.

"Goodbye," shouted the driver who will pick us up from this remote area again, and with a look at the path we chose he added laughingly: "Insha Allah - God willing."

Gaza`s Forgotten Children

"We, the children here in the buffer zone," says Heba, the black-haired girl with the blue ribbon from Khuza’a’s school, "we carry our souls unprotected on our hands."

(GAZA) - On a sunny day in March 2009, Wafaa Jehad Elnagar, now 17 years old, did something that millions of children did on that day, and do on every day: she went home from school.

But unlike other children in this world who do that safely every day, for Wafaa walking home is a serious danger.

I Only Have You

"I am an old man," Nasser Abu Said says, 37-years old, "to me it is no longer important, but what about my children? Don’t they have the right to life, the right to grow up in safety and with some joy?"

(GAZA) - "I only have you to count on. From now on, my children depend on you ". This is the desperate call of a man who sees no way out for himself and his children, and we ISM members who came to his phone call, receive it in helpless silence.

It is not the first time that we visit this family, and every time we go home more horrified.

152 Thousand Dollars and Planning to Sail at the end of March

Your chance to help the Canadian mission to help Gaza.

(TORONTO) - The Canadian Boat to Gaza campaign has surpassed the half-way mark in our fundraising goal. A holiday appeal helped bring in about $18,000 over the last month, which puts the group at over $152,000.

"We are proceeding towards our target sailing date with the Freedom Flotilla 2, set for March 30 (Land Day for Palestinians), with a dozen or more other national initiatives.

Pray for Australia!

Queensland and Brisbane are threatened by looming amounts of rain...

(QUEENSLAND / SALEM) - Parts of Australia are under threat of siege from billions of gallons of water; torrential rains have flooded sections of Queensland prompting a call for relief from the government:

Queensland Government has launched an appeal to help fellow Queenslanders affected by the recent floods. Many communities have been devastated. Some families have lost everything.

Applications Now Available for US Boat to Gaza

"Whether you will sail on the boat or remain on land, we hope we can count on your continued engagement and support before, during, and especially after the journey..."

(NEW YORK) - Happy 2011 from the U.S. Boat to Gaza! Thank you so much for your support of this critical mission. With your help and participation, we will sail a U.S.-flagged ship, The Audacity of Hope, to break the U.S.-backed Israeli blockade of Gaza this spring.

We are writing to let you know, in case you don't already, that application forms for those wishing to be considered as prospective passengers on The Audacity of Hope are available.

Hillary Clinton Called to Voice Need for Accountability and Support of DR Congo.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - It is a sad day for humanity when the very essence of our existence is overlooked.

The ability to mutilate not only physically, but also mentally; people and families is deafening. Humanity is not American, it is not Asian, it is not African; it is human!”

Medical Teams International Mobilizes Medical Volunteers to Battle Spreading Cholera

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Hurricane Tomas dumped several inches of rain on Haiti. "Haiti is under water," reported Ted Steinhauer, Medical Teams International country director.

The resulting flooding is spreading cholera in areas in northwest Haiti once thought to be under control. Officials reported 550 new cases of cholera.

Road to Hope (R2H) Convoy in Positive Dialogue with Egyptian Officials

Access to Gaza via Egypt looking likely...

(TOBRUK) - Arriving at the Libyan/Egyptian border on several days ago, the Road to Hope Convoy continues to wait at the border.

However, over the last two days increasingly positive communications with Egyptian officials gives us reason to be optimistic and the final manifest of vehicles and convoy members has been requested and received by the Egyptian Government in Cairo. We now await final approval.