Being American Opens the Door for Helping

     I was a little apprehensive to return to Jordan after thirteen years. Since I had been gone, Bush had declared war on Iraq. I will not go into my views about that at this time, but let the record stand I am for PEACE!! I felt awful about what the U.S. had done and was sure that all the people would hate me for being an American. I was prepared to apologize to everyone I met and explain that there are MANY Americans opposed to the war.
     However, to my pleasant surprise not one person mentioned it. In fact, I was always the one who brought it up, and no one responded in hatred. Actually it was quite the opposite. Everyone said they understood that it was the government and not really the people. They went on to say, and this was EVERYONE I spoke with how much they LOVED America and wanted to move there one day. It seems that the fact that we are free and have contributed so much to the world through technology; computers, space program, music, Hollywood, medicine, and charities, that these all outweighed the war-factor. The all think of Americans as very smart, very creative and pretty much as the best at what we do including the right to travel freely around the world. It's a bit sugar-coated, as everyone knows the U.S. has their share of issues, but it appears as if no one hears of them. Many were very excited about President Obama, and so and I did not want to burst their bubble and stopped apologizing.
     One such example of how they  think Americans can do anything is when someone from my village (of course a cousin, but not really a close one), approached me as they had heard there was an American in the village. It was a father of a young boy aged seven years old who had been diagnosed with a brain tumor about four months prior to our meeting. He brought me his medical records and asked if I could help him. I was wondering what in the world could I do? I am not a doctor nor a diplomat. They handed me a business card from a woman in charge of LDS Charities, also from the U.S. They asked if I would contact her about getting him a special bed that moved and a wheelchair. And so, I took the business card and started composing a letter.
     A few days later, family members came running into my room telling me that Americans were in the village at one of the sister's place of employment. They wanted me to go and meet them. Of course, I accepted and we drove off to the next village.
     This sister works with other women in a building that was set up buy USAID for the local women to sew in. When I arrived, dozens of young children encircled me shouting, "Amerikeah, Amerikeah!!". They grabbed my hand whisked me upstairs to met the other Americans.
     It was this time I met Danna (pronounced Donna) and her husband Steve, two volunteers from the LDS church out of  Provo, Utah. Wow!!! This was sure a coincidence as I was born and raised in my early years in Salt Lake City, Utah. The entire Romney side of my family is heavily involved in the Mormon Church. So we hit it off instantly. She was very excited as this was the last day of their project. It turns out they were working with USAID to donate all the sewing machines and supplies for the women to sew on. On this particular project, they employed the women (my sister-in-law) to sew baby clothes for a special care package they put together and then donated to pregnant women in the poorer villages. Today they were packing them all up and would deliver them the next day. How cool!!! It always warms my heart to meet such loving people that they take the time time to travel to far-off lands and give everything they can to enrich the lives of the local citizens.

     As it turns out LDS Charities was also responsible for donating the water filtration system located in my village!! When I heard this suddenly a light went on in my head about the little boy with a brain tumor. I asked if they had any access to wheelchairs. And of course, they did!! In fact, they had two left; one for an adult and one for a child! She said she could meet me the next day and give it to me to give to his family.



Abdullah & his father w/ Steve and my husband

     And so, the next day, as she said, (I love how prompt Americans are!!) they met my husband in the Safeway parking lot (our only landmark) and gave the little boy his new wheel chair. He had gotten so sick that he could not keep his balance and his father would have to carry him from the house, to the bus stop and then to the doctor's, of which they saw frequently in the city. His father was so happy he had tears in his eyes.



Abu Abdullah & Abdullah



     A few weeks later I was going through some papers and the business card the family had given me fell out. It read Steve and Danna Colson, LDS Charities, it was the same lady, however I didn't relate at the time because she pronounced her name Donna. I was so grateful that the synchronities in life allowed me to help this sweet child and his family. I send out a big thank you to Danna and her amazing husband Steve for all the wonderful work they are doing in Jordan. You are truly an inspiration.

     And I am sorry to say that little Abdullah passed away about six months later. My heart goes out to his family as I know this was most likely the most difficult thing to experience in their lives. I wished that I could have somehow helped more.

    

     Might I also add that I am very proud to be an American. Sometimes when I find myself back in the States for too long, I start to notice the things that upset me in our system, as there are many thing I still feel are unfair. However, the citizens of America are so kind really. It is almost impossible to realize this until you have been submerged in other lands. I am not saying we are the best by any means, but we are very generous, kind and compassionate and our presence around the world with all of our charities is definitely helping to balance the violence we have and still are contributing to.