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 Dream by Ilkin

12 - February 2004

Living the dreams...children and inferno...

"I am working on the links list about dreams. It is very long. When I came to "Art and Dreams" topic, I am hesitating if I have to make sub topics as "Dreams and Music", "Dreams and Fine Arts" etc for such a long list. My mind is too full what to do, how to arrange the list. 

I am finding myself in an airplane. We are flying to or from Copenhagen. The man sitting beside me is asking about "Aid for Traumatized Children" project of WDPB. Forgetting about the list or questioning how I came on the plane; I am beginning to tell about the project with great excitement. He is getting very much interested. 

I am seeing us, getting out of the plane at an airport on the way and sit at a coffee. I am speaking non stopped and the man is listening me with amazement in silence. Suddenly all my connection with the real world is stopping. I am seeing myself still speaking with the man at the table but in fact I am not there. The whisper says; we created (made real) the most valuable dream inspired novel of the history and the other me sitting at that table, telling the man all about it; is not aware that "I am writing it in fact not telling". I am objecting the whisper laughing and saying; "history is full of valuable dream inspired novel examples". I am trying to list their names from Jules Verne to Dante. I can still see the other me going on telling the man about the project. I am remembering Jean's words; "may be we should open a 'dream activism' topic in the list" and thinking if this project can be called a "dream activism" but still I can not find any relation with writing anything. The whisper says; "Humans makes so many activisms. They make protests against wars, globalism; for children, women, human rights, ecology and everything. But tell me how many of them can have the opportunity of seeing, living the result. The wars are still going on, children are still working in factories, women are in violence, rainforests are getting destroyed. Everybody can dream, many can be inspired from their dreams and make painting, compose songs but how many can live their dreams in real life?". 

I am sitting down, cross legged in the emptiness. Suddenly I am realizing that what we are doing is not dreaming or only inspiring from our dreams but making dreams real. I am feeling a great happiness filling me, "We did it. We really realized the dreams, don't we?" I call to the whisper. The whisper replies; "Yes you really did, realized it. Even one tiny feeling of one child living in the world must be enough for you. You people created the world's most real, most lived dream story. And you wrote it, even if nobody can read". The other me is still speaking at the table. I am feeling that words coming out of her mouth are flowing into a whirling source which is invisible to her. I am seeing in my mind; scenes from Jules Verne's books written for children about future and Dante's Inferno."

PS: I am really thinking a lot about the links list and A for TC. I once wrote Jean joking; "if we had saved only the mails about A for TC, they would make a book" more than a month ago. But whenever this whisper of mine comes to my dreams, it always says something very important which I understand much later. Books written for children about future and written for adults about inferno, don't need so much thinking this time. And for the first time I thought what "living a dream" means. - Ilkin

(Though I rather thought that Jules Verne wrote for adults as well as for children)

History of the Aid for Traumatized Children Project

May Tung of San Francisco, formerly from China, is a wise and compassionate woman, a psychotherapist.

When the bombs were falling on Baghdad last March and April, when members of the World Dreams Peace Bridge despaired that hundreds of thousands of protesters had not stopped the war on a country whose population is more than 70 percent under the age of eighteen, May's was a voice of reason.  "We are not a large group," she counseled, "but we can do something small and personal.  We can provide toys and art supplies for the traumatized children of Iraq."  Thus the Aid for Traumatized Children Project was begun.  (See May's open letter, "Bewildered Little Faces," below.)

FINDING OUR WAY TO IRAQ

We began looking for funding, and we began looking for a way to deliver items to the children in Iraq, who filled our dreams.  The way became the journey.

For nine months we read, searched the Internet, contacted people, following one lead after another.  All routes to Iraq were closed, initially, except to the military.  In our search, we met many people: in Turkey, in Jordan, in the US and Iraq, all willing to help in whatever way they could, until finally, just before the end of 2003, we were introduced to Kathy Kelly and Voices in the Wilderness.

You can read more about this group at http://www.serve.com/vitw/ but it may be enough to know that Kathy has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize.  She and her group, after spending years protesting the US embargo on Iraq, stayed in Iraq rather than fleeing to safety during the war, and they travel there regularly now, despite the dangers.

Before meeting Kathy via e-mail, we carried on a long correspondence with Dr. Karzan Jalil Ali, in Erbil in Northern Iraq.  Dr. Karzan, who was introduced to us by UNICEF, runs a family clinic in Erbil.  For months we tried to figure out a way to get therapeutic supplies to him, but all routes were closed and still are.  In the process we became friends.  Karzan sent photos to us of his recent wedding.  

BOYS AND KNOTS

In the meantime, while our search continued, we continued to collect donations (and still do.  If you would like to make a donation, click here) for toys and supplies.  Many people were touched by our struggle and the plight of Iraqi children.  We were able to collect over $1,000 in just a few months.

One day, a donation came via our PayPal account.  Mysteriously, rather than the notice of this $300 containing a name, it contained reference to a note.  Here's what the note said:

This donation is made by Joe Chiang, Kuen-Kuen Sim and John Chiang, all from Foster City, California.  Joe and Kuen-Kuen are eleven years old and John is ten years old.  They generated the donation money by selling self-made dragonfly shaped Chinese knots.  They also got sponsored money from adults.  This is a meaningful and worthwhile donation for them.

Amazed at the generosity of these boys, we corresponded with them and their families, learning that the idea for the knots came from the boys, not from their parents.  The families sent us photos of the boys learning to make the beautiful knots.  We invite you to look at them.

The boys have made another generous offer to the Aid for Traumatized Children Project.  

Finally, after months of trying, we were able to reach our goal.  Through our contact with Kathy Kelly, we were introduced to Imad Abbas, who operates the school in Baghdad.  At this school, which works with over two hundred children in morning and afternoon programs, children are encouraged to deal with the trauma of war through drawing, writing, music and the other arts.  Imad, who is himself a graduate student and lecturer at Baghdad University, is also manager of the school in Baghdad.

Equally important was that through Voices in the Wilderness, we were able to find a way to deliver packages, which could be picked up in Jordan by VTW workers, and driven by car many miles to Baghdad.  Through VTW, we hope one day to be involved in work in Basra, the poorest of Iraq's cities.  Clearly there is much to be done, and we hope you will join us.

For photos of World Dreams' Ilkin Sungu, shopping for toys in Istanbul to be shipped to Jordan, go here.  Ilkin manifested a small miracle herself, when her friend Tatiana (who only called to see if Ilkin would like to go to a movie) ended up shopping with her at ToysRUs, and making a sizable donation in the process.   (See Ilkin's "A Call to Aid for Traumatized Children" below.)


We have found that the least expensive route (though still expensive) for packages to take is for items to be purchased in Turkey, shipped to Jordan, and then on to Baghdad.  In our initial shipment, in addition to stuffed bears, paper, crayons and pencils, we sent a guitar, an aud, and other musical instruments at the request of the school.  
And finally, the day came when the first of the packages arrived in Baghdad.   We know that the bears will bring comfort, but there is definitely more to be done.

JOIN US

The World Dreams Peace Bridge and the Aid for Traumatized Children Project are both built on dreams.  In that way, they are freewheeling as our dreams are.  Dreamers are encouraged to dream up new ways of building a bridge of peace around the world.  This begins with communication:  contact us

Join a discussion group

A CALL To AID FOR TRAUMATIZED CHILDREN

Ilkin Sungu 
Istanbul, Turkey

Storybooks were not telling about these. The war in the story books were only for beautiful princesses. How different the realities are... Why did we born if we will die before living, before growing up?  I don't fear from the sounds of bombs or guns anymore. I don't fear from death anymore, I have seen so much dead...What I can't get used to is pain in me, not to know what will happen next minute! Why people are so hateful?.."
 
These words are not from a novel about 1st World War, not from Anna Frank's Diary, nor they are from the orphans used by the secret services during the 2nd World War. They are not from one of the children of Vietnam or Kosova whose photos already stuck in our minds. The owner of these words is closer to us. These words belongs to a little heart in a basement in Baghdad or in any refugee camp anywhere in Iraq.

When Sophie chose Jan and sacrificed Eva in Auschwitz she was making the hardest choice of the life. Eva walked to death with sorrow in her eyes, holding tightly to the little bear in her arms. Anna Frank's diary was her only friend to share her thoughts.
 
On the door of 21st century, the wars and violence around the world don't stop taking the children's homes, parents, health, lives, childhoods and dreams away.  In the last decade nearly 3 million children died, millions wounded and lost arms, legs or eyes to landmines. Every one of 200 children, more than 10 million are effected from the wars psychologically. The children who suffered from the wars raise suffering generations. As the victims of wars; being used as child soldiers, mixing landmines with toys, living in refugee camps they are growing up as wounded souls.
 
Today more than half of the Iraq population is under the age of 17. This means more than 12.5 million under the age of 17 are in immediate emergency. Nearly 5 million of them are in Baghdad under the war. They are the children of a country caught up in in war 3rd time in 20 years. A country which was one of the most richest and civilized countries in the region 20 years before.
 
These children born in war, they didn't see a life other than war. Many international organizations are trying to reach these children in the means of health care and food to improve their chances of survival in the war. At this point, we asked ourselves if the survival is enough. Is saving the life, feeding, clothing, giving health care can be enough for the children lost families, homes, organs and dreams of future? What can be the children need most when sleeping wounded in the cold hospital beds, without any parents hand to hold on, filling their hunger without hope? How can we help them to cure their wounded souls by the other needs?
 
We thought; helping them pouring out their psychological wounds, to improve their self esteem, life skills, participating life is as important (maybe more) as their survival. If they can be able to go on surviving; wounded generations without hopes, without dreams can only raise generations as themselves. With this aim, we want to help them curing their wounded souls and grow up (survive) as psychologically healthy generations. We call you all to support Iraqi children to fulfill their emotional needs. Give them something to hold, something to share feelings and fears, something to pour out what they already saw a child never have seen.
 
They are hiding their most incurable wounds in their hearts, minds. The children of the lands of stories as, "Aladdin's Lamb" and "1001 Nights Stories" are waiting for your help. Give Iraq children their stories and dreams back, be their spirit of Aladdin's Lamb. It will cost so little, give so much!

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BEWILDERED LITTLE FACES
May TungSan Francisco, U.S.A.

Each time I see pictures of little children from war or disaster zones, what haunts me the most is their wide-eyed bewilderment. Nothing makes sense to them, including their personal, physical pain. Look at the Iraqi boy in Time magazine, who had both of his arms amputated and entire family wiped out. Yes, he looks sad but he seems to have sunken into a deep dark abyss of bewilderment: :"What happened? What is this pain: is it mine?"

My dear young friend, I don't know either. I don't think anyone does. That is why, most people don't like to look at your picture, feel your pain, and think of your questions.

I can only send to you and your young friends my sorrow and apology. I think, maybe, you'd like to have a soft little Teddy bear to nestle next to you? Tell him what is in your heart, your memories of Mother and Father, your village, your pet dog. Did you have a pet dog? What was its name? Maybe you want to give that name to your Teddy Bear?

I am sad that you can no longer draw pictures of what you have witnessed. Maybe you can tell your friends and they can add your pictures to theirs?

Yes, my young friends, let out your sorrows, your rage, your longing, your dread and fear. Also, remember your love and games, your hopes and dreams.

We will go  to the Reservoir of Healing Energy to dream together.

Should I tell you my dream when we dreamed for you on April 2nd. along with the new moon? I dreamed of a little new born girl who grew to a three-year old child, right in front of my eyes. Then we see, on a neglected hill behind us, a new garden taking place, with trees and TALL flowers!

Like these trees and flowers, you will grow, despite all the horrors around you. Sleep well, my young ones. We will meet in our dreams.  

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