25 August 2026
Rev. Dr. Laurel Cassidy
Many of you know that I serve as a community-affiliated minister with our congregation while also working internationally as a Mental Health Activity Manager with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF/Doctors Without Borders). I am currently based in Amman, remotely supporting our mental health team at a pediatric modular field hospital in Gaza. The virtual work came after Israeli authorities revoked MSF's registration to operate directly in Gaza this past February. The revocation followed MSF's refusal to hand over a list of its Palestinian staff members' names, a new registration requirement we said we could not comply with without assurances for their safety. Our international team has had to continue our work from just over the border in Jordan. From Amman, I virtually coach, teach, and mentor a remarkable team of social workers, counselors, and psychologists as they care for a population under extraordinary strain. They themselves are living through the same devastation as the patients who come for care. Much of their work involves supporting mothers and caretakers navigating exceptional challenges in their homes, many of which are now tents. This is alongside patients and families confronting profound grief, loss, and for some, hopelessness. It is difficult, essential work, and it feels like a genuine expression of our UU values — bearing witness to suffering while helping build the capacity of local caregivers to sustain hope and healing in their own communities. I'm grateful for this congregation's support as this ministry continues. I hold our team and the people of Gaza with profound respect and with deep longing for peace in the land of Gaza.
For more information on our work in Gaza, the latest MSF press release can be found here: https://www.msf.org/israel-puts-thousands-risk-blocking-crucial-supplies-healthcare-gaza
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