Update on Our Iraqi Family ....November 11,2010

"A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
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One day last week I arrived at the home and it was stormy out and the power on their block was out,so it was fairly dark. But spirits were high and I had a package to bring from Alaska. So I showed them on the globe WHERE Alaska is, "The Top of the World " they said and we laughed. And then they said "It's winter and snow ALL the time ?" And then there was much unwrapping and coloring books and books to share and all the clothes had to be tried on right away. There was joy, bliss and smiles.

The Gifts that I have brought them from the Online Community are from NINE states and everything from blankets to warm sweaters to baby gear to art supplies. As each gift arrives I take it there in a bright green shiny bag -they know that bag is something wonderful for them and their eyes light up, It is wonderful they are feeling the warmth and Welcome from so many other families. I have to say thank you to everyone here for helping them to feel "At Home" and helping their Resettlement.

Over the past two weeks there have been huge milestones accomplished, the Lease was signed , and the Heat was fixed. The children all had their First Pediatric appointment and dental Exams.So many Firsts. And they are smiling more and giggling and coloring and laughing.Their baby brother is now nine months and cruising and moving about and trying to talk, and the girls treasure him. The Dental exam was hard because we learned that two of the girls have extensive decay which will mean years of dental work ahead. Yet the visit had a wonderful surprise as a Translator showed up I saw the Mom's face light up and it turned out the translator, a Medical Resident was from Iraq, so she could talk to someone from home. And at their pediatric appointment there was a lovely woman to translate, and that really helped mom discuss her children.

As we walked into the Hospital Clinic there was a soldier who passed us, in full uniform and I saw how quiet all the children were, and the little one holding my hand said " Soldier ? candy ?" I realized that for them the soldiers bring up many conflicting emotions ? Worry, Fear ? Candy ? And I also learned that late at night if there attacks or bombings, that families huddled and mothers give their children candy as comfort.....Yet I am so in awe of this amazing mother who kept her children healthy and well and safe with no medical care all these years.

Under Saddam only some of the people got medical care and it was intermittent and preferential. And then after the war started the Hospitals were mainly only for wounded and trauma , there was really no care for families with young children. And Hospitals for them mean Wounded and Gunshots. So they bravely came with me to their Dental Appointment, I had no idea that hospitals were so scary for them, but they bravely came to the clinic at the Hospital.

And I learned that the oldest girl paints over and over the Red House it is indeed her house burning down, and I bring her more paints and I tell her to paint whatever she wants, that it is okay now. It is okay because I am listening , I understand and that she is safe now, that she is Home now, no one will set her house on fire again. I see hope flickering in her eyes, and a yearning to Understand. I give her hugs for the granmas and aunties that she left behind, and to let her know she is still loved after all that she has been through.

And their mama inspires me daily that she has come to this country and that even though we don't speak the same language we understand each other as moms. That we both appreciate children and how amazing they are, how resilient and funny and creative. That we have formed a way of communicating that is beyond words....beyond culture....
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Other Posts on the Iraqi Family:
Blogblast For Peace Post ended up being a closer look at the effects of War on this amazing family....
The First update on the family...
The First Post on on the Iraqi Family....
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If you would like to help this family from Iraq the four girls are sizes 2-8 and the baby boy is almost into 1yr old clothes, any toys or clothes would really help.Also Mama is pregnant and due in January so any newborn supplies would also be appreciated. If you want to help please do email me. Thank you.

WRITE AND CALL MSNBC : BRING KEITH OLBERMANN BACK NOW

KeithOlbermann is NOT OPTIONAL Call: 212 664-4444 Phil Griffin's email: phil.griffin@nbcuni.com

DO also sign the Petition for Keith after only being on for 3 hours it had over 116,000 Signatures Please forward this far and wide, also do Encourage them to write REAL letters (snail mail ) and also to keep calling,and faxing.
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Short Story, Keith Olbermann made 3 personal small donations, as a host he was supposed to ask permission of the Administration. Keith Olbermann did disclose this information of the donations,but he did not ask permission. Please ask that Keith be brought back. Bravely tonight Rachel Maddow pointed out the Issues and Double Standards of this grim situation, I will post her video later...

In closing I have to say this Keith got all of us through 8 years of Hell of Bush, and the War Years and he has been our Sanity and our Glue...So FIGHT like HELL for him...Just Do it...( and do remind MSNBC that Keith is their MAIN MONEY MAKER-not Joe, or David Gregory....the EVE folks have rocked the ratings this year...DO Write , and DO Call !!! )
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10 PM Friday Update:
Petition is over 120,000.....and as of Saturday Night it is over 234,000 Here is the Petition LINK Share it far and wide...Twitter, other blogs, and Facebook....

Think Progress has a Story up regarding this situation that is a MUST READ.....regarding Comcast and NBC and changes....
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By Monday Eve the Petition Count is over 319,000 and the MSNBC station was flooded with faxes and emails and phone lines jammed through the weekend. So as of today Phil Griffin has announced that Keith will be back on Tuesday Night. YAY !!!!

THIS is Keith's Letter To Countdown Viewers ( Please do read it closely....)::::
"I want to sincerely thank you for the honor of your extraordinary and ground-rattling support.

Your efforts have been integral to the remedying of these recent events, and the results should remind us of the power of individuals spontaneously acting together to correct injustices great or small.

I would also like to acknowledge with respect the many commentators and reporters, including those with whom my politics do not overlap, for their support.

I also wish to apologize to you viewers for having precipitated such anxiety and unnecessary drama. You should know that I mistakenly violated an inconsistently applied rule – which I previously knew nothing about -- that pertains to the process by which such political contributions are approved by NBC.

Certainly this mistake merited a form of public acknowledgment and/or internal warning, and an on-air discussion about the merits of limitations on such campaign contributions by all employees of news organizations.

Instead, after my representative was assured that no suspension was contemplated, I was suspended without a hearing, and learned of that suspension through the media.
You should also know that I did not attempt to keep any of these political contributions secret; I knew they would be known to you and the rest of the public. I did not make them through a relative, friend, corporation, PAC, or any other intermediary, and I did not blame them on some kind of convenient 'mistake' by their recipients.

When a website contacted NBC about one of the donations, I immediately volunteered that there were in fact three of them; and contrary to much of the subsequent reporting, I immediately volunteered to explain all this, on-air and off, in the fashion MSNBC desired.

I genuinely look forward to rejoining you on Countdown on Tuesday, to begin the repayment of your latest display of support and loyalty - support and loyalty that is truly mutual."

Blog Blast for Peace....

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If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
Mother Teresa
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Blog Blast for Peace is this week, people from around the World are honoring Peace by blogging on it, what it means and why it should be valued...treasured. For 7 years Mimi Lenox has kept this amazing forum going with Bloggers from all over writing and creating, honoring Peace, please do see the fine work.

I have been thinking alot about Peace this past month, because by accident I have been working daily with a family whose lives were destroyed by War...I have blogged below about the Iraqi Refugee Family I am working with, that are being resettled in the United States. I have seen their eyes and the sadness there, the Lost Look, and I keep thinking of our role in what happened to them. More than 5 Million Iraqis have become refugees since 2003 and they are settled in many countries and the UN is studying the plight of this many Iraqis who have been left without Homes, it is interesting that the UN has had many special meetings and teams working on this issue. I find it horrific that we don't hear any of the Bush team or really the MSM talking about this situation of so many people's lives destroyed by Bush's War based on Lies. The VETS here and their families, and the families there whose lives are devastated. And the Economic Crash we have had that was created by a Regime that was Hellbent on War and not taking care of The People...in Our Own Country or their Country.

I have watched the mom talk to her children and hug them and hold them. She has shown me photos of their PRE-WAR Life, their beautiful Home and the children in the school uniforms and hair neatly combed and beaming with the friends for the camera. The photo is taken just mere weeks before Bush decided that Shock and Awe was needed. I remember that March Night and how CNN and FOX played Classical Music for the "EVENT"...and yet now how she and her children hate Thunder Storms and Fireworks, for them there is NO Shock and Awe....I think it is called Other Things. They know the Sounds of War, and you can look in their eyes and know that they have seen too much. The look in their eyes keeps me awake at Night, and tugs at my heart. They have lost too much....There have been no consistent School days and school photos in many years.There has been no playground days or picnics or big family dinners or even simple trips to the Doctor for checkups. All car rides are an adventure for them, but a stressful adventure.When they play they play quietly , whispering and staying below the windows. It breaks my heart that they have lived like this for so long...and that our Country had a part in what has shaped their lives.

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If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children. Mohandas Gandhi
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I pray for Peace , I pray for it with each visit to their home.....I pray for it for Children in this World.....I pray that even though this One Family has an American Dream ...that somehow daily Someone will honor that Dream for them and help them have a Peaceful Life here....I pray that their lives here will have joy and love, that they will not meet with Hate and Intolerance, but I worry for them....Not everyone here has been open and warm to them, there is Hate in this Country to People who are different. It is an ugly time in Our Country...So I pray that they don't meet up with this Hate....Hate and Ignorance is what destroys any chance at Peace....So I daily try to help this Family Resettle, but while I do so I try to educate their neighbors and the people they encounter, whether it be the market worker, the postman or the Landlord, that these are good people....That they are Refugees from a War Zone we created....I can bring them soup, warm blankets and sweaters and crayons and toys.But can I bring them Peace ? Or is that something that others can help them find ? I believe each of us helps them find Peace... That we need to help them find some Peace, Some Happiness....a Life without Hate...without War.
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As a Longtime Blogger, I have been moved beyond words by the Internet Community, People from Twitter, Blogland,Facebook have given from their hearts to this family...daily teaching me about the Reach of Compassion , generous even in these hard times.....sharing what they have and what is needed....It has been a beautiful lesson in Humanity that I am so blessed to share with the family and with all of you....
( You can scroll down if you want to learn more about this amazing family.....email me if you want to help them in Resettling, as a family of 7 with one on the way, always more assistance is appreciated...You can read more about the family here for the update, and then this is the original post in October that tells their story. Sadly this is how the Story ended in December so I am not longer taking contributions or gifts, but it is part of the lesson).