The Story from APM

Friendship Without Borders

Tuesday, January 13 2009

Friendship without Borders

Maha Mehanna (top) and Deb Reich (below)

Maha Mehanna lives in Gaza, and her friend Deb Reich lives in Israel. Despite the conflict, the two friends have managed to stay in touch, and even support one another.

Like most Gazans, Maha is staying inside with her family, huddling around candles while the bombardment continues. Maha yearns to get out of Gaza, but not just to escape the fighting. Her 14-year-old nephew Mohammed is ill and can only receive the medical treatments he needs across the border in Israel.

Deb and Maha talk with Dick Gordon about how they met, and how both women worry about the fate of Mohammed. Deb says she calls Maha nearly every day, as much as she can, to check in on the family and distract Maha from her fears.

• See pictures of Maha, Deb, and Mohammed
• Read Deb's story Shiv'a in Gaza
• Read Deb’s fictional story Dudu in Heaven
• Read Maha's article My Life Stopped

A Change of Heart

Kristen Kaszynski, photo: Matt Moyer, National Geographic - larger >> 

Kristen Kaszynski has always considered herself a patriot. She listens actively to political discussions, and her husband even worked for the Secret Service, occasionally guarding political figures. But when her husband was killed in Iraq, Kristen's views changed completely. She joins Dick to tell her story of political transformation.