hey cohost!
yesterday, i announced @valkwise and i are managing an evacuation campaign for our beloved friend, Abod Hajjaj. although Abod and i not blood related, he has become a brother to me. i drew this portrait of him and his baby yesterday.
in this post, i want to share a little piece of Abod's life with you. if any part of it moves you, please, donate to his evacuation fund.
Abod is a 34 year old man from Gaza, Palestine. he has a beautiful wife, Aya, and a little baby girl, Leen, who is less than a year old. Aya and Abod are expecting another child in the coming months.
before the war, Abod was a passionate PC gamer! his favorites include GTA V, battlefield, warzone, and FIFA. now, Abod has no power, and cannot relax with his favorite hobby. he still has his intact PC, which he cleans regularly. in his words, his hand "misses the mouse."
Abod has five brothers and five sisters. he calls me his sixth brother. 😁 when the whole family comes home, he says it feels like a schoolhouse! his father is in Gaza with him, while his mother is receiving treatment in the West Bank. both his parents are ill and need support.
when i say Abod has my heart, i mean it. he's my brother. we text for hours, sharing our hopes and fears. he is close with my wife @valkwise as well. a little while ago, Abod sent us this video, where he asks Leen to give Val a kiss. (Leen's a little too young to understand. 🤭)
Abod is on instagram. he also has X . but his phone is old, and doesn't use a modern eSim, so we can only message for about five hours a day. as i type, i am anxiously awaiting his evening text, praying he is safe.
here is the tough part:
Abod has confessed to me that he doesn't have a lot of hope for his campaign. i cannot blame him for feeling hopeless. he is living under devastation that i, a white settler in the imperial core, will never, ever understand.
but -- it is my deepest desire to prove his hopelessness wrong.
if something in this post touched you, could you donate to Abod's campaign today? even only $5 or $10 is enough to make a difference. i love my brother. i need him to be safe. please help.
thanks for reading. take care out there, y'all.