and why I donate
Alexandria, Egypt. The fear had been building up for perhaps a month. Suddenly we were called together and packed away into a hot empty school building. The Egyptian police begged us not to leave the premises. They were protecting us from their own people. Those caring for us here were also in danger of being lynched.
I couldn’t understand the sudden turn-about hatred for us Americans. They knew – but I didn’t – that America was siding with Israel in this battle, that t was American bombs which were landing on us.
Then, on the 4th day of shelter/incarceration, we were told to be ready to leave at 3 in the morning. We were hustled into silent, unmarked cars, told to keep our heads down, and taken to the pier.
Eventually we boarded a German freighter. I’d never seen the inside of an empty freighter before. The ship was made up of three giant holds, each had a ladder to get down to the bottom. Families in one. Single women in another. Single men in another. We sailed away for several days, still stunned. Mealtimes were sandwiches made of heavy German bread (Even now I’m still trying to duplicate that recipe – t delicious.)
We arrived in Cyprus at midnight. Climbed up and off the ship. Welcomed warmly and individually by Red Cross personnel. Some passengers burst into tears, the tension had been so severe. They were held and comforted. There in the darkness, with only a dim light, they served us a hot meal. A hot meal! In the middle of their night! Engulfed in terror for so long, I almost forgot what a hot meal could taste like.
They put us in a parachuter’s plane …..the seats, lining each side of the , faced inward. From the rear entry they handed a blanket to the end passenger in each row . It was passed along, person to person. A blanket so long that it covered the entire length of the plane. We needed it. It was cold up there!
We arrived in Rome at 6 a.m. More Red Cross workers. More soothing comforting sounds as they gave us each a wash cloth and a toothbrush/toothpaste. Coffee, breakfast, and ……what? Cognac! Yes! How did they know? It was so surprising and soooooo right!
Another plane ride, this time to Munich. Another warm soothing welcome. More tears, as German families suddenly understood that they were home. And we Americans who had travelled with them, knew we were safe, albeit in sleeveless tops, skimpy skirts and sandals, set down in a city of coats, jackets, warm trousers and rain. It didn’t matter.
So, that’s why I donate to the Red Cross. Three different Red Cross groups in three different countries. Three incomprehensible languages, for one plane load of fleeing refugees. Language didn’t matter. It wasn’t only that they knew exactly what physical nourishment and comfort we needed. It was also that they held our feelings in their hearts with compassionate loving care.
How about you? Do you have a story
If you drive past my house and into the next village, go up a very very steep hill, then, before you get to Arthurstone, (a Neolithic tomb over 5000 years old), you will see a windmill to your right, way up on the hill. (You may even hear a skylark singing.) That is where some of the best goat cheese is manufactured. “Best”, to me, means that it doesn’t taste or smell “goaty”.
lot of dates left over from the Maundy Thursday Supper and been wondering how to use them. Here’s a no-cook recipe I’ve tried out on a couple of groups with favourable response, so favourable, in fact, that I had to make extra for these photographs.
Ingredients
Dates without stones
Goat Cheese
Pieces of walnut.
Method:
Open the date as flat as you can. You can sometimes/usually find where they slit it to remove the stone.
Put in a piece of goat cheese.
Press a piece of walnut into the cheese. Voila!. I was surprised at how un-fiddly this is to do. Have a go. Have a taste. Get friends to join you in the process. It’s so uncomplicated, you can chatter away freely.
foodthatbuildscommunity.com 