It was quite lovely as at the station the Hare Krishna were promoting and so given I used to go to the Watford Ashram in my study of world religions I asked them to pray for Momen and his family. They did a wonderful chant for peace and gave me a flower head. This immediately reminded me of my time in India at Whitefields Sai Baba Ashram. The flower sellers were always giving me a flower head or sometimes even a Jasmine garland for my hair. It felt very spiritually connected.
I arrived a the MSF office and there was a big lunchtime team meeting going on. But reception informed one of the team to say I needed help and was worried about my nurse. The love, care, compassion, empathy and understanding was immense. I was surrounded with respect for me being a retired nurse midwife and for my mentorship of Momen and my concern. I was saying how I was worried for his health as he was exhausted beyond exhaustion and had lost a lot of weight. That weight loss as he was prioritising what food rations to give to Sahar, his wife so she could lactate to feed their baby daughter. This even now typing it dissolves me into tears. I cried in the office and was cared for, camomile tea to help calm me and was invited to grab a plate and join them for lunch. Surrounded by love and care.
Everyone of the NGOs now frustrated not able to get staff in or out. Horrendous situation for those of us that have the skills and the expertise to go and help the injured and medical patients now trapped.
I was surrounded by all the work that MSF do in the world and told the team they can stand tall in this world with all they do for those in need of help.
But we are stuck on not able to evacuate Momen .. even with the funds being raised we are stuck! He needs time out to rebuild his strength and refresh and to keep his family safe.
We need a political global action plan to help the Palestinians and to get the sledgehammering of infrastructure and civilians to stop.
At the same address in the same building is the UNHCR UNHCR London so I went up to their office to see what plans there are in place or developing. The team know me from my Family Link Up project befriending a Syrian refugee family scattered between Turkey and Europe, now building their lives.
I discussed a refugee camp in Egypt and that if this was possible it would be the size of Zataari camp in Jordan. Of course Palestinians do not wish to leave their land..but they need somewhere safe to heal and to be helped to the full. A refugee camp would enable all NGOs and volunteers to go in and out to help support and assess needs. I also told them how I had been campaigning for Hospital Ships not war ships.. Hospitals ships would give a safe haven to heal, if the UN could get the seas recognised by law as international waters.
Just has in my Family Link Up plan I could demonstrate that host country of Egypt would benefit from volunteers travelling there and contributing to their economy. Though the present cost of border crossing when open is also contributing to their economy.
But all the ideas in the world cannot be put in action unless there is Global Political will to forge agreement to plans to help.
The result of each visit to the London offices needed political input! So off I went to Parliament to lobby my MP John McDonnell.. John spent time with me to update and was frustrated at calls for ceasefire and more help not forthcoming from the present government. Many MPs are wishing all the horrors to stop and help the injured. Their constituents pressing for action to help. There is also the problem of massive destruction of infrastructure. In among this a now Global Awareness of the goal to take this land by the present gov of Israel. Despite protests within Israel the plan to forge ahead goes on to destroy Gaza. So a very stubborn stance!
I have to keep saying we really really do need Global Leaders Mature in the Wisdom of Peace the greatest power is peace. All this deluded power struggle over another and their land is really not acceptable! I shows lack of understanding that we all need to work together to save our one and only planet we all share from our foolishness. Time is running out to save our planet and our future generations!
So my pain was transmuted into campaign but my heartache really does continue as this is the only planet home we all share and it is beautiful and our life support. Each Global Citizen has a right to peace, to dignity and to politicians that create policies to enhance life not destroy it..
I love the peace lily in the MSF office that day!
