Letter from Palestine, 4. East Jerusalem YMCA.
24th September 2004
Dear friends!
I have hoped for some big tasks and initiative the last days, so that I could write an interesting letter this Friday. The big tasks have not come, and I am in that period where I wonder why I am where I am when I do not do anything useful. I am bored. The first picture illustrates that. I feel that there is as much to tell about as you can read out of the white wall in my room. Last weekend was good, Monday and Tuesday were not bad. But now it is the third day without specific tasks, and I start to feel as superfluous as I had hoped not to be…
So what to write about? I think I don’t need to write more negative. It is more constructive to try to write something which can be interesting for you to read. There are many organizations I can write about. I have written a little about YWCA before, and should perhaps have written more, but I will wait until I know more of their work. So I found out that East Jerusalem YMCA, which YWCA of Palestine has joint advocacy work with, could be among the first you could read about.
East Jerusalem YMCA (EJY) has its main office 10 minutes walk from YWCA, close to St. George’s Cathedral. In addition they have branches in Jericho, Ramallah and Beit Sahour. I know Beit Sahour more, because we were there with Journey for Justice last year, and that is where the Joint Advocacy Initiative (JAI) of YWCA and YMCA has its meetings.
In addition to JAI, there is a rehabilitation programme for disabled in Beit Sahour. They have a sports centre and a swimming pool, and a shop with olive wood products. As I have mentioned earlier the “protestant shepherds’ grotto” is also on the property of YMCA, and between the office building and the grotto there is an area used for summer camps for children and youth. Last summer it was full activity there.
In Ramallah the YMCA focuses on vocational training for youth. They have also planned what is going to be a sports and recreation centre. In Jericho they have a vocational training centre in the refugee camp Aqbet Jaber. In East Jerusalem there is a sport centre, cultural programme, summer camps, and leadership training, and a closed hotel because there are no tourists here.
Because I am at the advocacy desk of YWCA, I am also part of JAI. JAI has some campaigns going on. Under the headline of Free Palestine there is the olive tree campaign “Keep Hope Alive” and the Good Earth campaign selling olive wood products. If some of you are already wondering about this year’s Christmas gifts, I can inform you that you will receive a couple of ideas from me this autumn. One is donating an olive tree, the other is a bag with different olive products.
At last I want to make you aware of the news letter which EJY sends on e-mail once a month. It contains news from EJY and about the situation in the area. You can sign up for the news letter from their website: http://www.ej-ymca.org/site/ You also find more news and information there.
Then I have written something this week too, might it be the most useful work this week? After chatting with Stine today, and having two brains thinking instead of one, I have a hope that next week will be more interesting. My plan is to take good pictures in the Old City and talk with normal people there.
Greetings from Hanne.
Dear friends!
I have hoped for some big tasks and initiative the last days, so that I could write an interesting letter this Friday. The big tasks have not come, and I am in that period where I wonder why I am where I am when I do not do anything useful. I am bored. The first picture illustrates that. I feel that there is as much to tell about as you can read out of the white wall in my room. Last weekend was good, Monday and Tuesday were not bad. But now it is the third day without specific tasks, and I start to feel as superfluous as I had hoped not to be…
So what to write about? I think I don’t need to write more negative. It is more constructive to try to write something which can be interesting for you to read. There are many organizations I can write about. I have written a little about YWCA before, and should perhaps have written more, but I will wait until I know more of their work. So I found out that East Jerusalem YMCA, which YWCA of Palestine has joint advocacy work with, could be among the first you could read about.
East Jerusalem YMCA (EJY) has its main office 10 minutes walk from YWCA, close to St. George’s Cathedral. In addition they have branches in Jericho, Ramallah and Beit Sahour. I know Beit Sahour more, because we were there with Journey for Justice last year, and that is where the Joint Advocacy Initiative (JAI) of YWCA and YMCA has its meetings.
In addition to JAI, there is a rehabilitation programme for disabled in Beit Sahour. They have a sports centre and a swimming pool, and a shop with olive wood products. As I have mentioned earlier the “protestant shepherds’ grotto” is also on the property of YMCA, and between the office building and the grotto there is an area used for summer camps for children and youth. Last summer it was full activity there.
In Ramallah the YMCA focuses on vocational training for youth. They have also planned what is going to be a sports and recreation centre. In Jericho they have a vocational training centre in the refugee camp Aqbet Jaber. In East Jerusalem there is a sport centre, cultural programme, summer camps, and leadership training, and a closed hotel because there are no tourists here.
Because I am at the advocacy desk of YWCA, I am also part of JAI. JAI has some campaigns going on. Under the headline of Free Palestine there is the olive tree campaign “Keep Hope Alive” and the Good Earth campaign selling olive wood products. If some of you are already wondering about this year’s Christmas gifts, I can inform you that you will receive a couple of ideas from me this autumn. One is donating an olive tree, the other is a bag with different olive products.
At last I want to make you aware of the news letter which EJY sends on e-mail once a month. It contains news from EJY and about the situation in the area. You can sign up for the news letter from their website: http://www.ej-ymca.org/site/ You also find more news and information there.
Then I have written something this week too, might it be the most useful work this week? After chatting with Stine today, and having two brains thinking instead of one, I have a hope that next week will be more interesting. My plan is to take good pictures in the Old City and talk with normal people there.
Greetings from Hanne.
posted by Hanne at 7:36 AM
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