Just sign up to use it and the people will come, maybe? All types of meetings and programs originate from the Community Room with the only common thread....it's rent free! Thank you Saxby's! World policy is discussed there, ideas take root, change is in the air and it all begins in the Community Room.What an ideal spot for my first reportback (remember that's activist speak for presentation) All was set for 7:00, Thursday evening, July 9. Many friends and acquaintances said they would be there, wouldn't miss it.
Kaitlyn, a reporter for the local newspaper, the Intelligencer, was assigned to write a story about the Gaza journey and me. She came to my house for the interview; listened, watched me flip through all the photos I could find, listened to Gaza's story as seen through my eyes and came on board! She's an impressive young woman. She wrote the article primarily about Gaza and turned it over to her editor. We were excited. The editor thought it would be more suitable if it was a human interest story about me....less about Gaza. Darn! Kaitlyn re-wrote the article, turned the new one in. Waited! Day after day, it didn't make the paper. Finally, July 9th it was published with a headline all across the top of the page and an "if you go" information box. It was terrific.
By late afternoon on the 9th people began calling to say how sorry they were but....... The audience was dwindling. I worked until 6:00, then husband, grandson and I made our way to Saxbys; laptop, projector, extension cord and notes in hand. Set up was a breeze, especially since the newly purchased projector is even more simple to use than we'd been told. We got coffee, sat down and began waiting the long wait. It was almost ten of seven and we were the only three in attendance. I attempt talking myself out of being discouraged, but lets face it, it was discouraging!
Finally, a man arrived. As I went to greet him, I heard I'm Rajie. I thought how can this be? I cut him off, saying wasn't he the Palestinian artist? I'd been wanting to get in touch him. I couldn't believe he was here. How did he know about my presentation? Kaitlyn's article it in the morning paper. He and his wife had plans for the evening but changed them so they could attend. What a rush! I told him if no one else came it was still worth it because I'd finally met him.
With in about ten minutes the room filled with, for the most part, total strangers. 28 people. How had they heard about the presentation? They read Kaitlyn's article! I am so happy she was there to see how many people she'd motivated.
Emma and Sammer, fellow travelers in Gaza, arrived offering support, encouragement and some smiles. What nice friends they've become. The trauma & intensity in Gaza; it's lonely, overwhelming and impossible to capture in words. Thank god for ability to the forge bonds of friendship in times of need!.
The audience began asking questions as they walked into the room. They continued with questions throughout the presentation which actually went fairly smoothly. Only once did things begin to run away and I quickly brought the show back under my control.
How did you become involved with Palestine was the #1 question, so that's where we began. I shared my story of being approached at a peace march; asked if I'd ever thought of going to Palestine; replying, it never entered my head; being given a scrap of paper with email & websites; exploring websites; gaining information; traveling to New York; finding Women of a Certain Age delightful; joining with them and traveling to Palestine in June 2004.
The response involved more questions and statements: how brave I was, how much courage I had; was I afraid? It all revolved around me, not Palestine itself.
First I wanted to dispel the myths of bravery and courage and fear. I was motivated by interest, the more information I acquired through reading and WCA the more involved I became, followed by commitment and excitement. As I saw it, the trip didn't require bravery or courage.
I was apprehensive about certain things that could happen, (I'd never experienced tear gas) but I was not afraid. We were trained very well for non-violent direct action; I felt confident and prepared.
Also, I was determined! I was going to the Palestine! Israel was not going to intimidate me no matter how hard they may try. I was on a mission, determined to see for myself the conditions in the West Bank. No one was going to stop me....unless, when I arrived at Ben Gurian air port, I wasn't allowed to enter Israel. There was an alternative plan if that happened.
Road blocks, check points, the wall, they all wreck havoc in the lives of Palestinians. If the audience left with an understanding of this, my detour from Gaza to the West Bank would be justified.We erected a wall down the middle of Main Street, Immediately they understood the difficulties a wall imposes. Check points were a bit trickier, airport security, security lines for events and cattle shoots brought them on board with check points. Road blocks; rubble dirt boulders, chunks of concrete blocking a road to the point that cars couldn't pass.....that made sense.
The real test! We were to travel down a major road everyone was familiar with....only it had the wall running down and then through it. then two check points and three road blocks. The fact that you can't drive from A to B shocked everyone. You have to get a new taxi after each obstacle?
What do you mean the check point might just close? How can they get away with that? So if you're fortunate enough to remove the road block you might be shot at and they'll probably come back with a super bulldozer and fill up the road again? Palestinians can be detained at any time, no reason given? How can the Palestinians stand all this? I explain that's just for openers, there's much more but we need to get to Gaza.The next entry will deal with Gaza, that's a promise! It'a difficult to tell the Gaza story without beginning WCA and the trip to Palestine. There is always the how did you get started question.
Ann, one of the WCA women, cautioned me that the trip to Gaza was going to be much more difficult than the one to West Bank. I didn't believe or understand her. How could it be so difficult? Thank goodness the IDF weren't going to be there, no border patrol jeeps, no soldiers, no check points.
Ann's a wise woman, she knew and tried to prepare me. I had no concept of how difficult Gaza would be.
Gaza! Trauma, destruction and injustice describe Gaza.
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