By Smadar Shiffman | Project Leader, Volunteer
Dear Supporters and Friends,
Your support helped fund 28 trips of the chartered minibus from Gaza to hospitals in Jerusalem this quarter. Our volunteers continued to assist a family who participated in a paired kidney donation to reach Rambam hospital in Haifa for treatment and follow-up (see photo). The paired kidney donation occurred because no one in L.’s family was a compatible kidney donor to L. The doctors at Rambam explored the possibility of a paired donation with other kidney patients in the area. Eventually, L.’s brother donated a kidney to a transplant candidate from a village in the Galilee, and the mother of that patient donated a kidney to L. Our volunteers’ assistance in driving the patient and family to and from Rambam hospital created an opportunity for a true friendship to evolve.
One of our volunteers, Nurit, shared her experience picking up a patient at the Erez crossing (translated from Hebrew).
It was almost 10:00 am when we were finally ready to leave for Tel-Hashomer hospital. We were very late due to a long delay at the crossing inspection point. There were two patients: S. a 20-year-old, who has been receiving treatment at Tel Hashomer for the last 12 years, and B., a six-year-old who would have been in first grade if she were not ill. There were also two accompanying family-members. The volunteer parking lot at the crossing was almost empty. The chartered minibus that shuttles patients to Jerusalem had left already. As we walked toward my car, we heard a woman who had just been let through the inspection point calling. We turned around and saw a heavy, older woman, carrying a toddler who barely held up her head, let alone walk. The woman was also carrying two large bags. She said she needed a ride to El Mukased hospital in Jerusalem (one of the destination of our chartered minibus). “But we are going to Tel Aviv…” I said. Desperate and exhausted, the woman who had been on the go since 3:00 am, sat down on the sidewalk near the parking lot. I called Yael, the coordinator for the southern region. “What should I do?” Yael confirmed that there was nothing we could do at this point and that the only choice for the woman was to take a cab.
About 100 meters from us there were a few cabs. I gave the woman the 70 shekels I had in my wallet and heavy-heartedly told her she had to take a cab, the cost of which was about 300 shekels. The older passenger, S., helped the woman carry her bags to a cab. On the way to Tel Hashomer I asked S. dreadfully how much the woman was charged for the cab trip, and whether she had enough money. S. said: “the driver did not charge her anything!” “How come?” I asked. “Very simple” S. replied “I told the driver I saw a lady give the woman 70 shekels, and that the woman had another 20 shekels, and asked him to forfeit the rest of the cost, that is, take her to Jerusalem for the money she had, or not take her at all. The driver told me he would take her for free. “You see?” S. summarized the good outcome, “God provides for everyone ( ).” And of course I agreed.
As we provide assistance to Palestinian patients we are encouraged by small acts of good will, which make the life of Palestinian patients just a bit easier and foster trust between patients (and their families) and volunteers.
We are grateful for your continued support,
Yuval Roth and The Road to Recovery US volunteer team
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