Lars Petter and I have been along the Syria border in Lebanon this winter together with Ingeborg, Cecilie and Malena, three 17 year old students from Stavanger, Norway.
They have collected money themselves, bought in tents and food that is distributed to vulnerable Syrian refugees.
The conditions are as before in winter time; cold, muddy and limited with food.
Chosen away
I have focused on helping new children and young people with major medical challenges on this trip as well. And they are enough after many years of war as they flee from. We have to make difficult choices and priorities every hour throughout the day. The need is just so big, many unfortunately have to be chosen away, emotionally the hardest part of this work. The job is done by us with local Lebanese social workers who fight for refugees every day.
We have pictures of a very vulnerable family that we met thuesday and where the mother is alone with three girls who have serious eye disease. It will make them blind without treatment if it is not taken care of immediately. The father in the family left when he saw that the children became sick and the mother is desperate and now alone. Unfortunately, we had to tell her after the survey that the elder of 11 years will be blind forever while trying to save the sight of the two youngest in 3 and 6 years. Simply too late for the oldest.
Heartbreaking message to give along with the doctor where the mother fainted in front of the children when she understood what we said. We follow them up in the future and hope the two youngest will manage. Wonderful children under tragic circumstances, but who showed up the smile in the end.
Haydar is much better
Haydar, who is now 7 years old, went through his first of several operations last week. It seems to go well ,but a little early to conclude. He was 6 kg when we met him in a tent one year ago, he probably would not have been alive today without our help and assistance. The pictures show a stronger Haydar of 10 kg with a knitted fabric from a nice lady on Buøy (neighbourhoos in Stavanger, Norway. That’s «Buøylua».
Together with the United Nations, we have also funded a complicated operation in the head of a 3 month old baby, Yousra. It seems to be going well and we may want to meet them next time. Taym and Ritaj presented earlier are on the way and are under good medical treatment.
The Lebanese getting tired
Many Lebanese are now getting tired of having so many Syrian refugees in the country. It affects tourism, the labor market, pollution etc. The help they receive is getting smaller and less from western countries, they had so infinitely needed. Together with Jordan and Turkey they are taking all the noise of the refugee crisis because of the war in Syria, which is not over. We were in an area where a rocket fell down last Friday after the shooting of an Israeli fighter. Unfortunately, it will be a long time for the refugees to go home again.
We continue our work down here, more efficiently for each time, and aim for many new children to survive and get a better life ahead with the help of Abri Aid.