A camera crew came into the LSN office yesterday. This was the second camera crew to visit the office since I’ve been here. Needless to say, I was intrigued and just had to know what was going on, so I asked the Executive Director. He told me that this crew was from the Jordanian Government’s Public Security Directorate (PSD), which is basically the police department and is responsible for the country’s internal security. While I don’t know all the details, I was able to gather that the PSD has these television programs, probably similar to an extended public service announcement, which are designed to inform citizens of public security issues and motivate them to refrain from participating in deviant and dangerous behavior.

The PSD had come to the office yesterday to film a scene for one of these television programs. This particular show was focusing on a very prevalent problem in Jordan: aerial gunfire, or shooting guns in the air as a form of celebration (for more information and to read related news articles, please visit http://www.iansa.org/regions/aerial-gunfire.htm). In an effort to inform the public about the dangers of this act and the tragic effects it can have on individuals and families, the PSD was filming people who have been personally affected by falling bullets.

At LSN, that person is R, the receptionist. While I do not know her story, I do know that she lost her left arm just below the shoulder due to a wound from a shotgun that was shot in celebration of some event. R is a beautiful, funny, and cheerful young woman, who every day straps on a passive prosthetic arm, which has no movement or functional capacity. What struck me the most while watching R performing her lines was that even this woman, who is surrounded by caring and supportive family, friends, and coworkers and embodies strength and courage daily, is still so easily vulnerable to the pain and heartache that accompany such an injury. This became apparent when she began crying in the middle of her scene – and it wasn’t simply an overly-dramatic performance as upon completing the scene she left the room and returned a few minutes later with red eyes. But with the support of the LSN staff, R was back to her jovial self in no time. That, to me, is what LSN is all about – encouragement, friendship, dependability, and respect. And I like that.