Have you had good Christmas ...but gifts not what you like then..?

Merry Christmas - have  you all had a good day..... I did with my eldest daughter and grandchildren.. good Christmas dinner cooked by my son-in-law.  All are getting more and more interested in the Family Link Up and love hearing the updates on the children.  We got talking and come up on an idea!
Did you get what you wanted for Christmas? That is great if you did....but... but 
Did you get NOT WHAT YOU WANTED for Christmas? 

• A jumper that you did not like or did not fit.
• Too many toiletries and not the perfume you like.
• Gloves that OK but you do not need as you have so many anyway.
• Scarves that not needed
• Socks those socks again and have so many so not needed.
• Too many chocolates and goodies that you know you will never eat all.
• Art materials you will never use.
• Toys you did not really want...
• Children's clothes that not what you needed. 

Well would you consider this that they may be well appreciated by my refugee families... So please contact Family Link Up if you have surplus to needs goodies.. I can get them sent out to the families in Turkey, Belgium and Germany.  marjoriebahhaj@gmail.com JPEG me photos of items you would like to donate... with thanks... 

I am a hand to hand link up 

and can evidence your help with thanks!

This project is my life for the rest of my life for sure and there is so much we can do together in the family life rebuild. Don't forget you can help not only with donations but shopping online too.. and any ideas on fundraising let me know.. 

✿✿Shop Now✿✿

Family Link Up - be part of the story

Donate through gofundme Thank you!

✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿ GoFundMe ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿

★★★

Dressed for Christmas Eve & Mama's birthday

Princess Leen and Princess Celine look good in their Christmas jumper and cardigan.  Carole from Uxbridge Knitwear stall will be pleased when she sees Celine in one of her knits.... and the hairband looks cute too..... Today is Boshra's birthday so so glad all the parcels got there for Christmas and for her birthday.... we had a skype chat today when the girls were asleep and she is feeling good with all the support..... One of her neighbours is also keeping an eye on her...I had to translate a note she had left- was kindly note making Boshra and her hubby aware of the shop closures over Christmas and not to get stuck for anything - to shout if needed help.  I am looking forward to visiting and seeing all there is in the area for them.  Today I have been studying an online course for refugee support with the Red Cross... was interesting and I can see how much I have been doing with this personal project - I have learned a lot and continuing learning and I cannot rest till their lives rebuilt. All my refugee family have lots to offer the world too. Love, Care and Compassion is key. 

I am a hand to hand link up 

and can evidence your help with thanks!

This project is my life for the rest of my life for sure and there is so much we can do together in the family life rebuild. Don't forget you can help not only with donations but shopping online too.. and any ideas on fundraising let me know.. 

✿✿Shop Now✿✿

Family Link Up - be part of the story

Donate through gofundme Thank you!

✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿ GoFundMe ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿

★★★

Still need help for winter fuel for the Family in Turkey...

URGENT - URGENT 

Winter is getting a hold now with Artic blasts and snow. 

I have need for funds to send to Dante in Turkey for winter fuel - firewood for the burners, warm clothes & blankets!

I am concerned for the elderly grandmother (Dante's mother) and young grandchild, Ahmed that are with him. 

URGENT - URGENT - URGENT 

Also needed for Boshra and the girls in Belgium warm clothes as they are feeling the North cold blast from the sea. 

I am a hand to hand link up 

and can evidence your help with thanks!

This project is my life for the rest of my life for sure and there is so much we can do together in the family life rebuild. Don't forget you can help not only with donations but shopping online too.. and any ideas on fundraising let me know.. 

✿✿Shop Now✿✿

Family Link Up - be part of the story

Donate through gofundme Thank you!

✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿ GoFundMe ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿

★★★

Third package arrived this morning...... enjoying!

Oh good the final package arrived this morning that I had posted for Christmas... and this has got the bilingual books in and the jigsaw puzzle... all with fun way of building up reading and vocabulary skills now.... Boshra can sit and help Leen now with her reading... 
The puzzle is a winner with both the girls look... :-) of course Celine at the stage of "is it eatable test!"

And Carole will be pleased to see her cardigan arrived.. Boshra tells me she will send photos of Princess Celine wearing to share.,. and Princess Leen in her Christmas jumper.  Now the girls sorted for Christmas I would like to switch focus to baby Ahmed and the community in Turkey.  Remember we still have more winter to endure... so I am needing funds for fuel and clothing - and some educational toys for the baby too...

I am a hand to hand link up 

and can evidence your help with thanks!

This project is my life for the rest of my life for sure and there is so much we can do together in the family life rebuild. Don't forget you can help not only with donations but shopping online too.. and any ideas on fundraising let me know.. 

✿✿Shop Now✿✿

Family Link Up - be part of the story

Donate through gofundme Thank you!

✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿ GoFundMe ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿

★★★

Christmas parcels arrived in Belgium

 Two happy girls! 

Well impressed with the parcel post given the lead up to Christmas and high volume of post.  Two boxes I sent arrived today ... only posted on Friday but we still need to get the package with the bilingual books.. so pray that comes! Maybe through tomorrow. Got these happy photos of the girls exploring all the goodies sent.. So happy I had a donation on gofundme that has helped with the postage as I was a little shocked at the cost of post.. could have been my fare to coach and ferry to see them.  But both Boshra and my daughter said wait mum for better weather. So aiming for Celine's first birthday. 

When I skyped Boshra after getting the photos - Boshra showed them both out of the count in a excited burnout sleep.. so sweet....

I am so grateful they have the dignity of a home now after all they have been through.  I would strongly recommend others to befriend refugees it gives them so much hope and value, respect to their plight and need to rebuild their lives, helping to heal and regain dignity... Last night saw reports from Lesbos of the deteriorating conditions in the camps there.  Greece tries so hard I have borne witness to this.. but it seems the spotlight gone from refugees needs, though we have many dedicated volunteers helping- still more help is needed.  The adults and the older children are traumatised and are all patients by the fact they have been through trauma and uproot.  Through my support of the families scattered between Turkey and Europe we can help many as they help in the communities too. If you wish to befriend we can help you contact a family too.  They are not asking to be sponsored to resettlement though that would be good. They just need to feel recognised valued to give some hope for rebuild of lives....

We have come along way since the crossing to Greece and now resettled in a home in Belgium for Boshra.. Leen has embraced the situation as a happy child accepting the situation - making friends and learning as much as she can on the way. 

Princess Leen will start school in the Dutch speaking part of Belgium in January and will embrace yet another language.  Not three years till the 21st of Jan and speaks three languages. Amazing! 

I am a hand to hand link up 

and can evidence your help with thanks!

This project is my life for the rest of my life for sure and there is so much we can do together in the family life rebuild. Don't forget you can help not only with donations but shopping online too.. and any ideas on fundraising let me know.. 

✿✿Shop Now✿✿

Family Link Up - be part of the story

Donate through gofundme Thank you!

✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿ GoFundMe ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿

★★★

Turkey Check today

Been skyping the families in Turkey to check up on them - are they keeping warm and eating OK... they are asking please can they have some help with wood for fuel for the fire and any other help you can manage.. food clothing always welcome.  Little Ahmed had some fun on the skype.... fascinated with the House of Lords Teddy I have to wave at him and play "how big are you? so big....!" and he saw Lulu one of my cats who was sleeping on the back of my sofa... she woke to look at Ahmad and honest reached out a paw... wish I could have screen captured that... was sweet. 

• I am a hand to hand link up 

  and can evidence your help with thanks!
  This project is my life for the rest of my life for sure and there is so much we can do together in the family life rebuild. Don't forget you can help not only with donations but shopping online too.. and any ideas on fundraising let me know.. 
  ✿✿Shop Now✿✿
  Family Link Up - be part of the story
  Donate through gofundme Thank you!
  ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿ GoFundMe ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿
  
  The commission on shopping can help me with this project.
  ★ *¨*•.¸¸Check it out with me ..★ *¨*•.¸¸ 

  ✿✿Shop Now✿✿

  ★★★

  
• 
  

Ballet top

Just had some lovely photos of Princess Leen sent to me on facebook chat......She really is looking bigger and more the young lady now nearly 3 years old... and so so happy as she always is from all the time I have known her in the camps to now.....Then I realised I remember that ballet slipper top she is wearing... it was one I spotted in our local Mothercare in Hayes.. yes it was the day I was filmed and I went to the shops after to get a few more things to send in the parcel.... Mothercare had some selected rails of discount so got a bargain....... 

These photos now in their appartement that Belgium as so kindly housed them in makes me feel we are moving more and more from being refugees to now have the added dignity of being one of the community.  I say added dignity as I always saw dignity and a light of an amazing happy soul in Princess Leen .. as I do in many of my refugees......Many may be bruised and hurt from the what they have fled from... but to me always I see the beauty of their core being as one human being to another... Very much like we were talking about with Lord Dubs the other evening.... we have to relate past the label and be human to human to one another.. A Global Family helping one another in need. If we were to be a Global Family then no more wars and turmoil in the world. Peace & Goodwill as this season so tells us time and time again... 

Here is the post link to the day I got that top for the parcel.  

• Parcels on the way
• I am a hand to hand link up 

  and can evidence your help with thanks!
  This project is my life for the rest of my life for sure and there is so much we can do together in the family life rebuild. Don't forget you can help not only with donations but shopping online too.. and any ideas on fundraising let me know.. 
  ✿✿Shop Now✿✿
  Family Link Up - be part of the story
  Donate through gofundme Thank you!
  ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿ GoFundMe ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿
  
  Get Ready for the Festive Season as we move closer Christmas!
  Great gift ideas and all of these would please!
  The commission on shopping can help me with this project.
  
  
  ★ *¨*•.¸¸Check it out with me ..★ *¨*•.¸¸ 

  ✿✿Shop Now✿✿

  ★★★

  
• 
  

Artic Blast - repeating my URGENT CALL FOR FUEL & CLOTHES!

URGENT - URGENT - URGENT 

I have not had a response for the call for help as yet and winter is getting a hold now with Artic blasts and snow. 

I have need for funds to send to Dante in Turkey for winter fuel - firewood for the burners, warm clothes & blankets!

I am concerned for the elderly grandmother (Dante's mother) and young grandchild, Ahmed that are with him. 

Also needed for Boshra and the girls in Belgium warm clothes as they are feeling the North cold blast from the sea. 

I am a hand to hand link up 

and can evidence your help with thanks!

This project is my life for the rest of my life for sure and there is so much we can do together in the family life rebuild. Don't forget you can help not only with donations but shopping online too.. and any ideas on fundraising let me know.. 

✿✿Shop Now✿✿

Family Link Up - be part of the story

Donate through gofundme Thank you!

✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿ GoFundMe ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿

Get Ready for the Festive Season as we move closer Christmas!
Great gift ideas and all of these would please!
The commission on shopping can help me with this project.

★ *¨*•.¸¸Check it out with me ..★ *¨*•.¸¸ 

✿✿Shop Now✿✿

★★★

Christmas tree blossoming

Dante been skyping me from Turkey tonight as he fills in the draft form for the grant we are working on together. Lol then he sent me more photos of the now Blossoming makeshift Christmas tree. His aunt and mother have put more on this - it looks like a blossom tree now..  Really quite pretty - do you remember from my earlier post.  The are all having some fun at least...

I was showing him the photos from this evening of the Christmas decorations at the meeting I attended.. 

I am getting a parcel together for Boshra to send this week too ... I will have some small funds by Friday to get in the post to her...and my daughter sending a parcel too..... 

I must get some more Zaytoun products for Boshra - there was good selection in the Quaker meeting house cafe shop but had no funds to buy... So frustrating.. I can get her the Matfoul and Freekah as well as more dates and the almonds they enjoyed last time... 

I am a hand to hand link up 

and can evidence your help with thanks!

This project is my life for the rest of my life for sure and there is so much we can do together in the family life rebuild. Don't forget you can help not only with donations but shopping online too.. and any ideas on fundraising let me know.. 

✿✿Shop Now✿✿

Family Link Up - be part of the story

Donate through gofundme Thank you!

✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿ GoFundMe ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿

Get Ready for the Festive Season as we move closer Christmas!
Great gift ideas and all of these would please!
The commission on shopping can help me with this project.

★ *¨*•.¸¸Check it out with me ..★ *¨*•.¸¸ 

✿✿Shop Now✿✿

★★★

Lovely Evening of Sharing

Been a good evening of sharing at the Warberg Institute - so much for us all to share on our experience of caring for refugees..plus the overall situation in the UK and Europe..... and got some more time with a very kindly man Lord Dubs.... we did manage a bit of natter but need longer for me to share all that I am learning on my journey with the Family Link Up project. 

The institute was a comfortable but cold walk from Euston Square. Bitter cold this evening as a real Artic blast around over the UK.. But was good to call in the Friends House on the way and talk with Helen one of the admin staff... I have been chasing an email for some help with funding... But Helen was saying there are so many demands.. There are some meetings I can attend to network so that will be good to look forward too... I got chatting to the lady in the Bookstore and picked up on Dutch accent.... was good to tell her that my Princess Leen and sister Celine will be learning Dutch now in Belgium.....Been an evening of languages as some German academics were at the Warberg tonight and were impressed that this Yorkshire could understand and speak German... That is from my days in Munchen Munich in 1993.... 
In some ways feels like my life pathway does have a pattern to it - to bring me to this point now with this project... but I just wish I had played life better with finances then I could completely fund this link up.  

I called in the Students Union too for UCH... and had a talk with some medical students... one took a photo of my laminated promotion of the blog so hope she does get in touch.... 

I need a team of supporters and fundraisers as we can really develop this project.  We could get a team of more befrienders too.. we cannot rest as a Global Family until we have lives rebuilt and we have learned to love and care and share with one another. 

I am a hand to hand link up 

and can evidence your help with thanks!

This project is my life for the rest of my life for sure and there is so much we can do together in the family life rebuild. Don't forget you can help not only with donations but shopping online too.. and any ideas on fundraising let me know.. 

✿✿Shop Now✿✿

Family Link Up - be part of the story

Donate through gofundme Thank you!

✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿ GoFundMe ✿ღ¸╭•⊰✿