Baqaa Refugee Camp

One of the most emotional experiences happened today when the Global Exchange delegation visited the Baqaa Palestinian Refugee Camp in Jordan. The camp is not a camp like you would imagine with tents, but more of a seemingly endless inner-city housing project.  The streets were so narrow that our bus had to squeeze its way through the busy streets. An endless stream of refugees were all walking in many directions. The camp now holds 102,000 people in a 1.4 kilometer area.

As we were getting an orientation at the Baqaa administration office, It just happened that the camp elder showed up to speak. He is 96 years old, tall, thin, and brown, wearing a red and white kefiyah with black knit crown. He bore a wisdom that minimized all our fancy notions of our own civility.

He told us that Palestinian people blame the US for their 61-year plight, being massacred and forced to flee form their homes and villages in 1948. The situation s going from bad to worse. "The [Palestinian] refugees will always want to go back to their homes. How would you like it," pointing to one delegate's backpack, "if I took your bag and would not give it back? Or if I told you that you must give to me your home?"

"I have been a refugee for 61 years," the old shekh continued, "all the western nations that have contributed to this crisis are not taking responsibility. Now the United Nations Relief and Works Agency UNRWA must go begging for resources. You as NGOs have the same responsibility. You have to tell them that we wish to have our right to return to Palestine."

The GX delegates left the office and headed for the clinic. I felt a wave of guilt and emotion rise in me as I saw the misplaced people of Palestine blandly existing in this dusty, crowded, place. We saw many goods for sell in the market area, handicrafts and dry-looking fruits for sale. Then laid out on blankets were broken scraps of shriveled pita bread... for sale! "What have we done?" I thought, "in our unwavering blind support for the brutal Occupation of Palestine that causes this unforgivable hardship?"

 I thought of the people in Gaza, under Israeli siege, without food, electricity or any goods going in or out, right now; Gazans, who are making their bread from the throw-away part of the wheat so they can fill their children's bellies with something.

 

The tour took us to a women's empowerment and vocational center. Then the  final stage of our tour was the elementary school. Thank goodness for this. The teachers at this school are miracle workers, keeping the children busy with learning English, math, kindness and songs.

The GX delegation was graced with the innocent joy of these children who have nothing but love. And they insist on giving all of what they have to the visitors from the West.