Whatever Comes Our Way

Memoir of Zahra Mirjalili, Literacy Movement Educator

2025-1-20

The relief supplies from the Basij had arrived again. We placed them in a corner of the mosque to deal with after class. One of the learners suggested mixing the nuts together and dividing them into bags. Another chimed in, “This way, one bag might have too few pistachios, and another might have too many.” We agreed, and someone was tasked with counting the pistachios. Each bag was allotted seven. The rest of the nuts were measured by eye and poured into the bags. It was decided that everyone would bring needles and thread to class the next day.

After the lesson ended, we sat down to write letters. The women had learned to write by then. Each one wrote what was in her heart to encourage the soldiers. A letter was placed in each bag, and we sewed the tops shut. I then informed the coordinator at Masjed al-Reza[1] that the packages were ready to be sent to Masjed Shams al-Shomous[2].

The second time supplies arrived, they were bundles of yarn. Each person took as much as she could handle with her available time and energy. The items had to be completed within 10 days. Some, with quicker hands, finished their hats and scarves ahead of schedule. Everyone put their skills to use, ensuring their best work would reach the soldiers.

When the Basij vehicle paraded through Telgard[3], playing war marches, people brought whatever they could to support the frontlines. Some could only afford to donate used clothing. That’s why two days of our week were dedicated to washing secondhand clothes. We pooled our money to buy detergent and several bars of the solid, blue Sobleme soap[4]. On Thursdays and Fridays, after the Nudba prayer, we stayed in the mosque courtyard. Once the men left, we rolled up our sleeves and started scrubbing the clothes in tubs. After washing, we spread them out under the sun to disinfect them thoroughly. By the following Thursday, the clothes had been folded and packaged.[5]