Rebecca Rinkaus

My name is Rebecca, I live in Amesbury, MA, and over the year, I have come to know Khames through social media. We have spoken about the difficulties he faces securing food and medicine, and the mental health effects that the situation is having on himself and the people he loves. The weight of loss and death that these young men are carrying on a daily basis is unfathomable for anyone who has not experienced it. They are young men in a horrible situation, but I am frequently impressed by the compassion and generosity they show toward the people around them, and by their gratitude for the support they receive. Their devotion to their little sister Doha is enough to make this mom cry on more than one occasion. I am honored to get to know them and am humbled by their trust in me. We both send our pleas to the good people of the world for help; you can make a difference. "All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we're giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world" ― Fred Rogers “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” ― Fred Rogers Here is Khames' story, in his own words: Asalam Aleikum, Hello, my name is Khames Al-Arian Mahmoud. I am from northern Gaza and currently displaced with my family of five: my mother, my little sister Doha, my older brother Imad, my younger brother Bahaa, and myself. We are also staying alongside other displaced families in a small temporary camp. Since October 7th, our lives have been completely disrupted. Our home was destroyed by airstrikes, and we were forced to leave everything behind. We have been displaced repeatedly first to the south, then central Gaza, and later we tried to return north in early 2025, only to find our neighborhood and home reduced to rubble. Since 24/12/2023, we have been living in a tent in central and northern Gaza. During this time, we lost our father and our uncle, along with other loved ones, which has made this period even more painful for our family. We continue to live with grief while also facing ongoing displacement, fear, hunger, and uncertainty. I live with my brothers Imad and Bahaa, and together we share all daily responsibilities and activities equally to support our family’s survival under these difficult conditions. My mother is wonderful and loving, but her body is weak and unwell. She has been suffering from an illness that has not yet been properly diagnosed due to the lack of functioning health facilities and access to adequate medical care. Her condition adds to the difficulty of our daily struggle, as we are unable to provide her with the treatment she needs. Doha and my mother are our number one priority in everything we do, as we focus all our efforts on protecting their well-being and meeting their most urgent needs first. Our daily life is very simple and shaped by survival. Much of our time is spent trying to secure basic needs like water, food, and shelter materials. When we go to collect water or receive aid, we often meet other displaced families and neighbors we now know well. Even small interactions, especially with children in the camp, bring moments of connection and comfort in an otherwise very difficult life. Despite everything, there are still small human moments that remind us of community and life. We are also sometimes able to share short videos and moments from our daily lives. One video of us introducing ourselves and sitting together meant a lot to us and to others who saw it. (https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CmKVye17L/?mibextid=wwXIfr) For us, it was a simple way to show that we are still here, living, speaking, and holding onto hope. We try, in our own way, to show that real people live these experiences and that life continues despite everything. Every day remains a struggle to secure basic necessities such as food, clean water, and safe shelter. Living conditions remain extremely harsh, with limited aid, rising costs, and widespread illness affecting many families around us, including ours. Despite everything, we are trying to survive with dignity in conditions that continue to worsen. I am reaching out to ask for your support. Any contribution, no matter how small, can help us meet urgent daily needs and bring some stability to our lives. If you are unable to contribute, sharing our story is also a meaningful form of support. Campaign Goals and Use of Funds This campaign has two main goals: 1. To cover essential daily survival needs. 2. To save any remaining funds for potential travel expenses if the Rafah crossing reopens. The funds will support both my immediate and extended family with food, clean water, clothing, medicine for my mother, and other essential necessities. A portion will also be set aside for the possible evacuation of my immediate family my mother, Doha, Imad, Bahaa, and myself through the Hala Travel Agency. Due to restrictions on platforms such as GoFundMe and Chuffed, the fundraiser is hosted by a trusted person outside Palestine, with funds transferred via PayPal. This arrangement has been used in previous campaigns for our family and will continue for this one. We are deeply grateful for any support, prayers, or kindness shown to us during this time. Thank you for taking the time to read our story. Video Links: Introduction Video: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CmKVye17L/?mibextid=wwXIfr