Help Iman and Her Remaining Family Survive

(Scroll down for Iman's story)

My name is Devin and I am raising money for Iman, a civilian trapped in a refugee camp in war torn Gaza.

It's amazing how interconnected we are these days. From the pidgins carrying written letters, to the very first telegraph to the invention of the Internet and social media it is clear that humanity has an innate desire to connect and share thoughts, feelings and experiences. Previously we were limited to the distance we could physically travel to make friends and companions. Now we can meet and make connections across the globe easily. This is seen in social media groups and gaming friends etc. I remember as a child playing call of duty and making friends that I spent hours getting to know. Sharing experiences of our lives, bonding, and supporting each other emotionally through our independent struggles, eventually meeting them in person. I believe this ability to connect has led us to have a greater empathy and understanding of others who live in different societies and cultures and has fostered a greater peace being able to relate and cross the barrier of the unknown. It has allowed us to have a wider perspective and learn from experiences we haven't had ourselves.

Recently I was connected to a new friend Iman whom I have been speaking with for several months now. Her, her husband, and brother are currently residing in a makeshift tent in Gaza.

In America it has been a long time since we have experienced war on our home territory. Our society has forgotten the struggles and hardships that come with such a tragic event. And even then our domestic wars were long before the invention of modern weaponry and bombs that bring the level of destruction they do today. Through my time speaking with her I have learned a lot about the adversity one faces from a lack of peacetime. Especially as a civilian with no political ties or ability to influence what is happening around or to you.

I've created this gofundme to allow her to share her story in the hopes that we can grow in our level of compassion for all of our neighbors close and far. And hopefully make a difference as small as it may be. You never really realize how far a kind act can ripple across the greater collective.

Here is her story:

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"Hello, my is Iman Al-Madhoun. I have no political affiliation. I am just an innocent citizen caught in the crossfire. I have no way out or source of income. We want to live in peace and security. We want a normal, happy life, like everyone else in the world. This is my story, briefly lived through war.

I am Iman Al-Madhoun from Palestine. I have lived a painful experience as a result of the occupation that destroyed my city and displaced me from my home. Our life was normal and beautiful before October 7, but after October 7 on Gaza, we were forced to flee our home to several places in search of safety, after our home and the entire neighborhood were destroyed.

On December 4, the occupation forces stormed our homes amid unending tears, and we were unable to take anything but the clothes we were wearing. We headed to Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, and within a month of our stay there, the floors were bombed while we were inside, resulting in the martyrdom of many people, including a woman from my family who was killed before my eyes. You cannot imagine the amount of suffering and fear we endured in those days.

After that, we were displaced to the Al-Mawasi camps, which the occupation claimed were safe, but there we were also exposed to random bullets. Then we were displaced to the Rafah camps and stayed for three months. Then the occupation decided to attack Rafah, so we returned to the Al-Mawasi camps in Khan Yunis. Since the beginning of the war, our lives have come to a complete standstill; no work, no electricity, no communications, and we have become without any source of income. And the necessities of life are lacking

I never imagined that I would leave my home with my husband in this way, or that I would lose the safety of my homeland, and live in a tent where everything became so difficult. I had hopes and dreams before the war. I owned a small cake-making business, but the occupation destroyed my home. My work was destroyed, everything we owned was destroyed. We have nothing left. They destroyed our dreams, they destroyed our psyche, they destroyed the livelihood of my husband and my family. All of my work tools and my husband's work are under the rubble. And now with the war, we want peace, we want safety, we want compensation, we want a home, we want supplies. We will start our lives from scratch." -Iman Al-Madhoun

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In this digital age we are not only able to share ideas across great distances but resources as well. Thankfully I've never been in a position where I haven't been able to provide for myself. When I was 18 I was fortunate enough to have the assistance of food stamps. But even then I was able to at least work and earn an income. I would like to think if circumstances ever led to me being unable to do that I would find support in my community to help get through those trying times. This is an opportunity as a community to offer that support to someone else.

I know economically times are hard for everyone right now. I appreciate you hearing and sharing her story even if you are not in a place to contribute I believe being aware makes a difference in itself. If you are in a place to donate, even if it is $1, $5, $20, $100 or any amount. I know it would make an enormous difference to them and allow them to continue to survive by getting basic necessities like food, shelter, water, and communication to the outside world.

Thank you greatly for taking the time to read this and for anything you may feel called to give.

Please share this GoFundMe far and wide so that more people can hear this story and have a chance to help support someone in dire need.

Donations will be accepted by me and then transferred to her via the Wise app where she can use it within the lockdown area. This money will be used for supplies to make the bread as you see pictured. Paying to charge her phone at a solar station, water, and maintaining a phone plan, her only access beyond the camp. When there are excess funds available they are shared amongst others who are also struggling residing in the camp.

If anyone would like to speak to her directly I can put you in contact via Whatsapp.

I will conclude with some personal writings by Iman during this time that she shared vulnerably with me:

"ألم يأتِ موعد انتهاء هذه الحرب.

ألم يعِ الجميع أن غزة تذبح من الوريد إلى الوريد.

ألم يبقَ هناك عاقل في كل العالم قادر على إيقاف هذا النزف الشرياني الذي سوف يسبب الموت بإخراج الروح أو بدون إخراجها والحفاظ على ما تبقَى.

من يركن على كلمة اعمار غزة فهي كلمة سهلة... لكن فعلها صعب جدا جدا.

والكل ينتظر انتهاء الحرب حتى يُعمر بالقطارة."

(Has the time not come for this war to end?

Have we not all realized that Gaza is being slaughtered from vein to vein?

Is there not a single sensible person left in the entire world who can stop this arterial bleeding—one that will bring death, whether it takes the soul or not—and preserve what remains?

Whoever rests on the phrase “rebuilding Gaza” must realize it’s an easy thing to say but incredibly, incredibly difficult to do.

Everyone is waiting for the war to end so that rebuilding can be done, drop by drop.)

"فجأة عيوننا بتدمع والله ما بيكون في اشي صاير جديد وبضل أسأل حالي : ليش أنا بعيط هلقيت ؟

كل أسباب البكاء تراكمت وتاهت داخل صدورنا وقلوبنا، يارب والله ما بنبكي من اليأس ولا غضباً على البلاء والقدر .

ولكن نبكي من الوجع، من التعب، من نزف الروح، نبكي من شدة إيماننا بك وبلطفك ورحمتك … نبكي من شدة ثقتنا بعظيم لطفك وعوضك وجبرك لقلوبنا قريباً.

يارب ضاقت وبك نستعين"

(Suddenly, our eyes fill with tears—by God, nothing new has happened—and I keep asking myself:

"Why am I crying right now?"

All the reasons for crying have piled up and gotten lost inside our chests and hearts.

Oh Lord, we swear we do not cry out of despair, nor in anger at the trials and fate You've written.

But we cry from the pain, from the exhaustion, from the bleeding of the soul.

We cry from the depth of our faith in You, in Your gentleness and mercy.

We cry because of how strongly we trust in Your immense kindness, Your compensation, and the healing You will soon bring to our hearts.

Oh Lord, things have become so tight, and we seek Your help.)