Postcard from Bethlehem

Christina is a paediatrician at a London hospital. She arrived in the Holy Land at the weekend for a two-week working holiday that she is spending at the Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem. She sent this message to ICN: Just a little message to say that my 'action holiday' here in Bethlehem has started very nicely. I'm enjoying teaching the junior doctors and nurses in the only Children's Hospital in Palestine. We're doing neonatal and paediatric resuscitation for three hours every morning, seeing a total of 40 patients in two weeks. In return, how nice, the 'Caritas Baby Hospital' has given me a room with a view onto the Judean Mountains, and three delicious Mediterranean meals. In the afternoon hours I have been strolling around in Bethlehem, which is an 'emotional roller coaster' every day. Besides the obvious beautiful sites there are devastating views of destroyed buildings and roads everywhere, the huge ugly gray wall just a few metres from the hospital and plenty of children with heart breaking smiles running after you in the streets asking you to come and buy something in their father's shop. The streets, which in the past probably were crammed full, are now pretty empty. One sees a few small groups of foreigners going around. Accordingly you are greeted and welcomed like a queen everywhere. Best wishes for now from 'down under'. Christina