Dear friends

AUTUMN 2003

Dear Friends,

The summer months have past incredibly fast, and we are already looking forward to the beginning of autumn and cooler weather. Unfortunately, our high hopes for improved conditions have vanished, nothing has changed. Checkpoints between Palestinian towns and villages have increased, closures have tightened and the rate of unemployment remains high. Prospects of the Road Map for peace appear to have failed and we see no soluble solution in the near future. Despite such a grim outlook, our loving God and Father has not abandoned us. On the contrary, He has blessed us through the generosity, prayers and goodwill of our dedicated friends.

Al-Shurooq School

During the couple of months, the children were home with their families and the staff were kept quite busy. There was a great deal to be done; a thorough clean of the whole building, reorganizing classrooms, rearranging bookshelves and sorting out damaged equipment, toys and books.

Summer School Camp

As soon as the preparations were almost completed, it was time for the summer school camp to start. It took place from the 11th until the 30th of July. Sixteen children attended and this year the camp took a different form. Every day from eight in the morning to one in the afternoon, our children were mainstreamed in the summer camp organized by the Palestinian Ministry of Education, together with their sighted peers. That was a tremendous success. Our children proved to be the best behaved and the most informed. The afternoons were taken up in strengthening courses, in computer training and languages at Al-Shurooq. On most late afternoons and evenings, the children went for walks visiting the various parks. We also managed to fit in two days to a swimming pool and a day trip to Tiberias, which included a boat tour on the lake.

Tasneem and Shahd dancing with other sighted children at the summer camp

New Term

School started on August the 25th. The children arrived with great difficulties. Seven children left us; six of them were mainstreamed in the various schools near their homes. Five new children joined the family of Al-Shurooq. Ahmed nicknamed Joojoo, who will be four in December, is from Gaza. He is Lara's brother. Hamzeh, four and a half years old, is from Dhahriyeh, a town south of Hebron. Abeer an eight-year-old girl from Al-Samou' a village near Hebron. She became blind only last year as a result of a brutal car accident. The two sisters Hana' (10) and Fida' (8) come from a villlage near Ramallah. They had been transferred from another school. The school is to its' maximum capacity and we do not have one single spare bed.


Hana'	Joojoo	Fida'	Hamzeh	Abeer

European Blind Union (EBU)

In order to encourage and promote the idea of a peaceful coexistence between Palestinians and Israelis, the EBU has embarked on a project that will bring Palestinian and Israeli children aged 10-14 years together. Our Society and the Israeli Parents Association of blind and visually impaired children have been chosen as partners for the two-year project. Eight children and two members of staff will be selected from each group. They will be working and travelling together on three occasions. Two trips to Italy and one to France. Between those trips, the children will be working together, writing newsletters and distributing them in Palestine, Israel and Europe. No doubt this is a wonderful idea, but under the prevailing circumstances, I am not quite sure whether such an idea could materialize. My staff cannot get permits to enter Israel nor can they get permits to leave the country, and the Israelis are strictly forbidden by their government to enter the West Bank. Nevertheless, we shall give it a try.

Land

Our hunt for an appropriate plot of land still continues. We found two plots that were suitable, but we were unsuccessful in the purchase of either of them. We received four thousand pounds out of the eight thousand needed. We are forever grateful for those who made it possible.

Piano

The great news in this issue is that we have a piano now! We are extremely grateful to the friends who through their generosity, we were able to purchase such an expensive item. Five children have already started taking piano lessons. Others are learning to play the recorder.

Helen and the children around the piano

Library and Braille Book Production

The problem with our Braille printer has not yet been solved. Books are typed and ready to be printed out, but our Braille printer is still not functioning. The electronic parts of the machine have been posted on to Germany for repair, and we still have not got it back. We pray and hope that it will be repaired soon as the children await their books. 26 new titles have been added to our collection of Braille books, 750 volumes and 21 Perkins Braillers were given out on loan.
Over and over again, I would like to extend my warm and sincere gratitude, to all the friends who have supported and still support us so generously and lovingly.
Stay well and God bless you all.