AMOS PALESTINE — EMMA BLAKE MORSI
their lives and homes back. It often reminds me of the cultural warmth I feel from my own African background where there's never a closed door on friends and families, but always food and drinks to be shared on someone's arrival...
It didn’t take long to for us to be immersed within the camp. Soon after lunch we were taken to a local home Amos Trust had helped rebuild the previous year. In 2014, 493 buildings in the West Bank were demolished by the Civil Administration of the Israeli Defence Force, leaving 969 Palestinians without a home (UNOCHA). Incredibly concerned, Amos Trust approached the camp
offering to help assist in the build of a new home. The community expressed a deep concern that their help went to Yacoub’s family in the aim of rebuilding their home, rebuilding their hope.
Check out how the rebuild went down here.
We were then taken around the local community centres in the refugee camps, which included their ‘Youth Centre’, ‘Woman’s Centre’ and ‘Handicap Centre’. It dawned on me that, despite knowing the refugee camp was set up mid-20th Century and now full of settlements and buildings, not the temporary structure of tents, I hadn’t expected the
progressive level for there to be a centre dedicated to both women and disabilities. In this way it truly reinforced how many ways I was going to have my eye opened throughout this journey...
Dinner was spent with our host families, who embraced us with such incredible warmth. When thrown into situations where language barriers are very real, it’s not often that it doesn’t linger over you like a dark cloud. But with our host families, we soon found ways to communicate and bond beyond language.
With our miniscule Arabic and their modest English we all gathered round the table; Arabic mint tea and playing cards in hand whilst teaching each other different games. From snap to the Arabic version of rummy, the hours flew by and it was almost too easy to forget I was across the world sharing the yummiest Arabic mint tea with the most loving refugees who were undergoing severe occupation. Almost.
Tomorrow we will be hanging out in the Women's Centre getting to know the women in the community through music and conversation, but something tells me there will be a few eye-opening moments and surprises along the way. But for now, it's definitely time for bed. Zzzzzzz
Emma x