SYRIAN BREAKFAST
Scrambled out of bed. I was almost going to be late for breakfast with Hisham's family. I quickly got dressed and ran up to their building, which was just a block away from me. The mother (I forget her name) spread out a cloth on the floor and set the "Floor" with tables and Hawadir (Traditional Syrian style breakfast which includes cheese, bread, Zaatar :), and some Halabi dish I have no idea what its called.) Accompanied with Shay, or tea, the meal and company was a beautiful way to start the day.
SENDING MILK INTO ALEPPO
Malik then came over to pick me so that he could take me to the ATM before heading into Aleppo. I withdrew my daily maxium limit, a frustrating $300 US daily withdrawal limit, and then handed him the money.
"As soon as you get into Aleppo, please email me so I know you arrived safely," I said.
"I will." He replied. "I just want to tell you one thing. What you are doing, coming here and seeing where the money is going, is what we want all the people to do. We hear that people are raising money and we hear of groups stealing the money. We all wish that people would be more careful with their money and take it down personally. I will buy the milk for you as soon as I get into Aleppo. I will take pictures and send them to you."
" Perfect." I said. "And once I get a good quote on the "Hufuthat" I will let you know they are ready to be sent into Aleppo." We struck a deal and off he went.
DIAPER SHOPPING
Hisham, Ziad, Tarek (A guy who has been in Turkey for years and knows wholesale business), 2 others and I all went to go shopping for me. I wanted to get the blankets that Sefwan had listed that they really needed to hand out in Aleppo.
We passed by a shop and I pointed to a nice warm looking blanket. "How about something like that?" I said.
"Thats a blanket. NOt a diaper."
"Diaper?!" I said.
"Of course, a Hufuthah is a diaper. THey need blankets too but this whole time we all thought you wanted to help send diapers in."
"Okay, diapers it is." I said, since Diapers were on the list.. I just misunderstood the translation in Arabic.
I wish I could describe to you the amusement on my face when I went diaper shopping. It was not your ordinary diaper shopping experience. We went to the manufacturing company.You know those scenese in movies in the middle of a fancy drug deal exchange where there is one room, with a fancy desk and fancy couches and the lady comes out and asks if you would like to drink something? And all the men are all dressed up and smoking cigarretes? Well thats what it was like. Except they were all discussing diapers.
I enjoyed watching full grown men grab and examine the quality of the diapers. We had to make sure we could get the best deal for our money. We also were making sure they weren't cheapy so that the kids did't get rashes and then need to get an extra cream to solve the problem we created by going the cheap route. We got a quote and then went to the other diaper place. Also another room with fancy suits and diapers being passed around. I like it.
I wish I knew something about diapers but I don't.. neither did any of these guys in that room cause they never changed a diaper before in their lives.
The second place gave us a WAYY better deal. We will be sending in 515 packs of 30 into Aleppo to be distributed to the families.
HOW THEY KEEP TRACK OF WHO NEEDS HELP
After the meeting, I went to see the place that Khaldoun and Ibrahim helped found. Its a floor of a building and they are using it as a registrar office so that all the new refugee families can sign up there. Then they go and assess their needs at their homes and rate them on a scale of "Very in need of help" "OK" or "very little". I will be going with them to make rounds soon. During the rounds was when they assessed that they needed 150 heaters. I have had some generous offers to help already so it looks like we (us the group) will be buying them heaters.
I am very touched by what Im seeing here. All these Syrians helping each other. They are all volunteers and all at each other's side. The organization is run very smoothly.