My Friend Hemin

Hemin is a 21 year old young man, here when I arrived, that has somehow managed to survive with multiple heart problems. He has a very difficult time speaking now because of how long he had tubes down his throat, but he has still managed to get out words when he needs to under his breath and is one of our patients recovering from their surgery. He is the only man his age at Shevet and it’s been apparent to the other volunteers that he has a difficult time keeping boredom away. Even though I don’t speak and Kurdish and he doesn’t speak any English our similarity in age and being in a place very foreign to us helped us bond. My second day at Shevet, Hank, another volunteer, and I took Hemin and Arazoo (16) out of the house to get some much needed time away to be able to act their age. Hemin is a very stylish young man, even around the house he was always dressed his best, I’m told this is the way a lot of Middle Eastern peoples are, because they often don’t have much in the way of posessions, fashion is one of the few ways they can own something tangible. Day laborers for example will walk to work dressed their best, change into dirty work clothes, and then when the day is done wash up and change again before going out in public. We went to the Mount of Olives and took some pictures overlooking Jerusalem, as well as with a camel, the owners of which were eager to talk politics about the war with Hank and I. They were disgruntled at first, probably because of their perceptions about what Americans believe, but after we had explained to them what Shevet Achim does, and specifically in Gaza, they were blessings us and offering to donate their blood if we needed it. After we left the Mount of Olives we took Hemin and Arazoo to the Sea (that’s a different blog) where they took copious pictures in the typical teenager fashion. From there we went around the old Jaffa city and again too many more pictures. Don’t be fooled by the face in the picture, it’s not customary (or cool) to smile in pictures, but he is a very friendly guy. He left this morning bound back for Iraq. I’m probably the only Christian his age that he has ever met, and may ever meet again. I hope the friendship we had in the short time he was here will not soon be forgotten by him nor the impact of Shevet Achim on his life under-estimated by my readers. Please pray for his life, health, and strength, he now enjoys new life and the ability to live in a way we all take for granted, but putting my arm around him for the pictures I could feel he is still nothing but skin and bone. Pray also for his spirit as he returns to Iraq, twice he eagerly joined us in a church service, pray that this seed that has been planted will grow.