Words from Palestine

The office is actually an apartment, though no one is sure whose apartment it is. We think it is Kathy Kelly’s. There are few indications that someone lives there. Most of the space has been taken over by office equipment, files etc. In the same way, the lives of the people who enter the apartment have been taken over by the human needs the office strives to address. As a VitW veteran gives us advice for our journey, we stuff vitamins, OTC medicines and medical texts into our luggage. These items are on the list of items which are disallowed into Iraq under the sanctions. As I stuff children’s vitamins into my bags, I fight back the tears which well up when I consider that my government has made it a crime to give vitamins to malnourished children. I am so extremely grateful to have the opportunity to engage in this “criminal” behavior.

O’Hare Airport- A reporter from FoxTV asks me why I would put myself in the middle of a war zone. I tell him I wonder why my government would put Iraqi civilians in the middle of a war zone.
Detroit Airport- We landed in Detroit to take on more passengers. We are told it is a 45 minute stop and we are not to disembark. Several moments later we are all made to leave the plane with our carry on luggage. Customs interviews all passengers, saying they are checking if anyone is leaving the country with more than $10,000. Several people of Middle Eastern descent, including an elderly woman in a wheelchair, were extensively questioned, all their possessions were gone through and they were frisked. They remained patient and helpful, but a fool could recognize the pain in their eyes.