“Supporters often forget about us in Gaza when there is no active war, and this year is particularly harder than any other year,” shares Suhaila Tarazi, Ahli Arab Hospital Director.
In the wake of the devastating events of last May that left more than 30 dead, including a disproportionate number of women and children on both sides of the wall, Ahli Hospital leaders now work tirelessly to replenish resources and prepare for what may come next.
Gaza’s Ahli Arab Hospital helps all who seek care. Their Christian leaders kept the doors open even as government hospitals reduced services during May’s lethal bombardment. As a result, Ahli Hospital’s resources have been taxed and stretched to a maximum, with the list of needs growing in equal measure to their anxiety over what emergency may be waiting for them on the horizon.
May’s violence between the Islamic Jihad in Gaza and the Israeli Defense Force was a harsh and deadly reminder that conditions there can change in an instant. Now, with the recent unrest and violence that erupted in the cities of Nablus, Jenin, and Jerusalem, Tarazi confessed that everyone at Ahli is on high-alert. “We are expecting this to come to Gaza any minute. There is too much instability in the political situation, and this area is impoverished, exhausted, and primed for disaster. Unemployment is up to 54% in Gaza. What will happen to us if the conflict spreads here? There is no rest! We may not be at war, but we do not have peace.”
When AFEDJ staff met with Suhaila over a video call recently, she shared that her workday at the hospital began at 8am the day before and continued until 4am, only to be back again at 8am. “We don’t have the money to pay full-time staff salaries,” shared Tarazi. “Simply trying to secure the fuel we need just to run the generators adds another layer of seemingly insurmountable hardship and suffering. We are short on medicine. We are short on supplies. We are short of critical medical equipment. We are short-staffed. What else can we do but work all day and night? I am exhausted.”
“However,” she continued, “we will never give up.”
Suhaila closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath and continued, “I am able to keep going because I see and feel that what I do here makes a difference.” She added, “Ahli Hospital is without borders. It is the mission of our hospital and our church to serve the suffering and the hopeless. We are the living stones here in Gaza, and the American Friends are our partners in our mission of healing. We could not do it without you.”
Suhaila was speaking to those of us on the call, but she was talking to you. You are Ahli’s partners in their ministry of healing. Each and every one of you who supports Ahli Hospital through your prayers and donations, who give what you can to help share in their critical mission. You give Suhaila and her team the strength, the hope, and the resources to continue their remarkable and unassailable Christian witness in Gaza.
Together let’s make a strong showing of support to remind Suhaila that Ahli Hospital is not alone, that her American Friends did not, can not, and will not forget about Ahli’s needs when the shelling and artillery-fire ends.
By afedj.org
