The wall is just beyond the gate. The Daughters of Our Lady of Sorrows nuns have been here for 70 years and have seen it being built. Sr CAMILLE Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of Sorrows "Our charism is to charitably welcome and accompany people at the end of their lives. We welcome elderly and lonely people and try to support them. Here we welcome mostly Palestinians, and people of all religions." Notre Dame des Douleurs elderly residence, currently houses about 50 elderly people. For the past few months, some employees have been participating in an Arabic-language professionalization course for basic caregivers of people with frail conditions, sponsored and funded by Pro Terra Sancta Association and implemented by staff from St. Joseph's Hospital in Jerusalem. MARIELLA MAGNI Pro Terra Sancta Association "This course was born from the consideration of a need, a training need, and its originality lies in the fact that there is no professionalizing course for personal care workers in the Holy Land." The course will enable the Residence to retrain in-house staff, improve the quality of life and safety of caregivers and residents themselves. It will also bring a benefit in terms of visibility. In the near future Notre Dame des Douleurs may become a training hub in this area in East Jerusalem. JEAN-FRANÇOIS KLOS Home Notre Dame des Douleurs Director “This course is a great opportunity for us to update and to have a staff well trained. It’s very important for our donors to see that we really also take care of our staff and to give them the chance to improve their knowledge about their job”. The course - about 50 classroom hours - aims to train existing staff with elements of personal hygiene, first aid, nutrition, pharmacology, patient mobility and transportation techniques, rehabilitation, and occupational safety. HALA KASBARI Director of Continuing Education - St. Joseph Hospital “My challenge in this program is change. It’s very difficult to change the way all the people used to work for several years. We noticed that this course improves the communication and socialization between the employees”. FATIMA RASHID Course participant "I was happy to learn how to deal with the elderly in some special conditions. We learned how to express ourselves and describe different psychological situations. I would like to continue with the training." On Sunday, February 12, on the occasion of World Day of the Sick, the Latin priest from Jerusalem celebrated Mass here, visited the sick and gave a small talk as part of the course. Br AMJAD SABBARA, ofm Priest St. Savior's - Latin Parish of Jerusalem "Not only must one take the first step of assisting the person, but one must be beside, give the best of oneself to the other person. This act of preparing, of improving is to improve charity." A hope that even the wall cannot stop. Read More