FROM GHANA TO JERUSALEM TO THE WEST BANK ALL IN A WEEK!
Okay so that past week of my life has been a little bit nutty….after just less than a week in Ghana, West Africa with Right to Play I traveled here to Israel.
Ghana was nothing short of remarkable….to see the Right to Play programs in action is always impressive but even after a life-changing visit to Ethiopia two years ago I thought I could not be more impressed. Well, the office staff, volunteer coaches and of course, the children in Ghana have left me dumbfounded. I thought I’d already seen the capacity of caring possible in humans. I was wrong: what I have seen before has now been proven wrong. The past week has shown me the there really are no limits to the caring of individuals and the willingness to lead and shape the young people of the future to better lives.
I shared this trip to Africa with three superb athletes and remarkable individuals: Steve Omischl, Emily Brydon and Mellisa Hollingsworth. We spent the week learning and growing by what we were seeing, and will have a bond between us that will last for a long, long time.
And then, after all this loving in Africa, I traveled here to the Middle East. I met up with my husband Peter in London and we arrived in Tel Aviv at an ungodly hour of 315am. The anticipated intense security was lax at that time in the morning and customs was a breeze. Felt aweful waking our friend Stephanie Jenzer at about 430 after being dropped off at what we hoped was her apartment building in Jerusalem. Turned out it was, just the wrong apartment. Luckily I called instead of knocking, and found the right place.
What a shock to wake in Israel! After a snack we went out jogging in the intense desert heat. Then walking around town. Things are ridiculously expensive and it felt so incredibly foreign to even us, very seasoned travelers.
Our friend Stephanie is a producer for TV news here and thus we are learning a lot about the fragile situation that is volatile at best. She is swamped with work yet still finds some time to show us around.
One of her camermen (a Palestinian names Sammer) showed us around the ‘old city’ where we visited the outside of the mosque and as well the church and ‘wailing wall’. Actually, we only saw the ‘wailing wall’ on our way in because as a Palestinian, Sammer is not allowed to go there.
We have the best hummus of our lives inside the old city. I realize I’ve never actually had hummus. Turns out what we think is hummus in Canada is not at all like the real thing. Yumm….
Sammer tells us all about the old city and we learn so much. People live there and have for centuries. Behind each small opening is a community. It’s old and dirty but so intriguing.
And then, yesterday, we travel to the west bank to spend a day with the Palestinian folks running RTP in Ramallah. First stop, a school for the blind where we meet individuals paving the way of opportunity for these young visually impared students of all ages. We meet a coach who is larger than life and runs the RTP programs for the kids. We meet a headmaster who is also a judge and see just how much he cares by the endless, tireless work he does for the school (all as a volunteer). And then we visit not one but two refugee camps. Peter and I join in the games with the kids during the RTP day at the first camp (with 200 Palestinian refugee children) and then we tour the second camp. How these people are surviving in such dire circumstances amazes me.
What is truly remarkable is the dedication of so many leaders, teachers and community members to keep the flame of hope alive in these kids. It is unconditional support and caring that we saw and I will never forget it.
I did an interview for Arabic TV and spoke about the importance of programs like RTP in this difficult, confused situation that I cannot even begin to understand, nor would I try. That these children are able to have a release from the tension of their lives and take part in something positive is crucial for them to even have a minute chance of surviving.
I will never forget these experiences with the kids in Africa, in the Middle East, and I will also never, ever forget the leaders in these devastated parts of the world that have inspired me so.
This weekend we’re off to Spain where I will continue the training I began this week! Lots of running here and core strength, I look forward to riding a bike next week!!!
