Tomorrow we leave Damascus- our final leg of this astounding journey. We get to leave– rather easily, in fact (Syrian border control notwithstanding). Iraqis living in exile in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan can’t. Plus, they have no where to go. Many refuse to go back. “Go back? Why? There is nothing there for me now. Iraq is destroyed.” They can’t go forward as they are awaiting news month after laboring month that a country –any country will accept them. “I do not care where I go– US, Sweden, Australia. Anywhere but here. Anywhere I can have a life! This is not life.” And they can’t stay in their “host” country. “We cannot work. We cannot provide for our family. We have nothing.”

So what is the answer? I have no idea. But I think it begins with America cleaning up its mess. We have a responsibility to these people. At present, most of the Iraqis don’t blame American people, just the American government. But that may soon change, if we don’t. If we don’t start making this a national priority, I fear for a generation of Iraqis growing up uneducated, unsupported and equating the U.S. with all their hardship. Amends needs to be paid.

Inside of cinder block home.

Yesterday, we met with a family– 5 children and 5 adults living in 2 cinder block boxes in the middle of a junkyard. For me, it was the worst conditions we have seen in our 3 weeks in the Middle East. I didn’t know what to do. It was nauseating to know these people used to have a home and a life. Now they barely live. Now their children play with cement pieces and old abandoned, broken toys. These are innocent children hit by crossfire. They had little water and less food and hope running on empty. We were 8 people that day. They offered us a meal. They have nothing to eat and they offered us a meal.

It is these people I cannot forget. These people who did nothing wrong, yet…yet…yet…

What do I make of all this? Hopefully a play. And some change. The Iraqi refugees could really use some of that: change. And hope.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 at 3:58 pm and is filed under Syria. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.