Written by Stephanie Siam
As Ramadan 2014 progresses into its midway-point, most of us have established a daily routine that incorporates suhoor (pre-fasting meal before dawn), dua’a (supplications), salaah (prayer), dhikr (remembrance of God in word and action), and iftar (fast-breaking meal at sunset), often culminating with tarawe’eh (supplementary evening prayers offered during Ramadan) and witr (supplementary midnight prayer).
For most, iftar is a time we gather around the table with our family and/or friends, joyfully sharing food and fellowship. We laugh and talk about the day’s events; we contemplate our fasts and discuss stories of our Prophets (peace be upon them). And as we sit around our living rooms, lounging on sofas in post-fast dazes, we look at our children playing and the spirit of this blessed season overcomes us, and we say, “Alhumdulillah wa shukr!” (Thank you, God!)
Our children are the greatest gift Allah bestows upon us, and we owe it to them (and Him) to provide, support and protect them at all times.
Yet, not every child has a parent who can – or will – care for and love them. And so it is, at this time, I want to share with you, dear readers, a noble and worthy cause and opportunity for zakat (tithing) and sadaqa (charity) during this holy month: Home of Hope.
Home of Hope opened in 1991 in Beirut, Lebanon. Established by the Lebanese Evangelical Society (Christian-based, but it doesn’t matter – we’re talking about CHILDREN!), it “serves the misfortunate, abused, abandoned and orphaned children of Lebanon.”
It also provides a home and shelter for refugee children coming from neighboring at-war countries, such as Syria and Palestine. And one of the best aspects of Home of Hope is that it doesn’t discriminate based on religious affiliation. That’s right – they accept every child.
But the problem is they’re running out of room (or have possibly run out by now), supplies, and just plain financial support. As this month progresses, more and more children have been taken in by their organization, in an effort to save the kids who generally live on the street from being arrested. These are children who have no parents, whose parents are in jail for various reasons (sometimes legitimate, sometimes not), whose parents have cast them aside due to being illegitimate, whose parents force them out on the street to work and earn money for them.
Just a few of the problems they’re experiencing are:
- insufficient heat during the winter due to not having access to a generator during country-wide electricity rations
- lack of protein-based food supplies (i.e., meat)
- shortage of beds and bedding
- not enough clothing, including undergarments and coats, for children of all ages
These are children who, after reaching the age of adulthood and leaving Home of Hope, will never be considered legal residents or citizens of Lebanon. These are children who have no agency. Children who will always be at risk of arrest or detainment, simply because they’re alive.
What does Home of Hope do besides provide shelter, food and clothing for homeless/refugee/orphaned children in Lebanon?
Our aims for the Home of Hope are many and multi-faceted, but they all focus on creating a nurturing, encouraging, and helpful environment, which shall: first of all, help them to recover from the traumatic events which they have passed through; and second, to educate and raise the children to be intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually prepared to face an increasingly biased future.
Where can I learn more about Home of Hope?
Check out their website at http://www.homeofhopelebanon.org/home.html.
Visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/homeofhopelebanon.
You can also check out the following articles that have been featured by news sources around the world:
Al Jazeera: Syrian child refugees, alone and exploited
NOW: The lost children of Lebanon’s streets
How can I donate?
Secure online donations are being accepted through Tying Vines. Go to https://www.tyingvines.org/donate/ and select Project 1302/Home of Hope. All donations are tax deductible.
To make a donation to Hope of Hope via bank transfer:
Lebanese Evangelical Institute for Social Work & Development
USD IBAN : LB43 0001 0005 5266 1512 0030 4001
LBP IBAN : LB53 0001 0005 5266 1512 0010 4001
SWIFT CODE : FSAB LB BX FRANSABANK– Hazmieh Branch
Contact Person:
Maher Tabarani
Email: mtabarani@lesociety.org
Phone: +961 71 798 879
And for the sake of Allah, please remember these children in your prayers and dua’a this Ramadan. . .and always!
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islamwich 
Witr is part of Isha prayer, not supplementary midnight prayer. And it’s would be considered night prayers i.e. Tawjudd.
Evangelical, i.e. most disturbing missionaries since the 19th century ? Why don’t I just give my money to all Christina charities in Muslim donkey countries…I mean many Christians are giving their money and support to Muslim charities, right ?
Are there not children in America that need help ? Dubai is not too far away…let the Arabs help themselves…
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This is a program for all children. And if you read the included articles, you would see the majority of their children are Muslim. And my colleague just left my university to move to Beirut to be the school administrator for this orphanage.
And witr should be prayed in the last third of the night, whereas isha can/should be prayed before midnight. And by midnight prayer, I meant “middle of the night”.
And, you’re right. There are lots of American kids that need help. But it doesn’t discount others elsewhere. And it doesn’t matter what or how much Christians contribute to Muslim causes. We are told to share our wealth with the needy, no matter who they are.
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Children are children and orphans, abandoned and abused children still need our help no matter what charity we give through. This charity does not indoctrinate the children to group up Evangelical Christian- read the site. Stephanie knows the person who runs it personally and would not suggest giving to the charity if it weren’t a good cause. I understand helping your neighbors first, but seeing as how Stephanie is in Oman these people are her neighbors. And as an orphan myself, I am disheartened by your callousness and grateful that the Arabs and SE Asians who helped me when I was orphaned didn’t think-Oh, Let the Americans help her. Aaand since witr is not obligatory what else would we categorize it other than supplementary?
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I meant let the Arab help themselves to what “shieks” and “effendis” have in the gulf: take it by force!
Oman is still faraway from Lebanon, but yes I understand the duties, as specifically stated by the Prophet concerning the rights of orphans.
Needless to say why are not Muslims doing something about this?
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This is a good question. I would love nothing more that to go there and open an orphanage for these children. But where is the support, the logistical support? A good example of the lack of Muslim support can be found in these posts. We have had three posts so far giving people sadaqa ideas for Ramadan, and not only have not many people given, these posts are ranking low. Meaning no one is even reading them. The state of the ummah, folks. SubhanAllah. We have a love of dunya and we cling to it fiercely, and we are being destroyed for it.
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I know. My heart breaks for these children. I see pictures of kids sharing ice cream with their parents under pictures of kids being left without parents. I want these children. All of them. They deserve love.
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😦
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😦 to article or to situation?
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Well, Hyde, I’m trying to do something. Hence the article.
But I suppose many people have the attitude that you yourself are presenting: “Let someone else take care of them” or “There are enough problems here (wherever here may be)”.
And Lebanon may be a good distance from Oman, but it’s a heck of a lot closer than the USofA.
And, frankly, I prefer to give money to verifiable sources. I know the money will go to good use here. And I don’t give a darn who they are or what their PARENTS’ religions are……they’re children, and that’s enough for me.
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Subhan’Allah, Hyde. Ain’t that the truth! Subhan’Allah. May Allah grant us eternal peace and relaxation on the other side, insha’Allah! Ameen.
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Thank you. That was one of the main questions I asked before I decided to write this post…..how faith was presented. There is no indoctrination. There is only love and support. And even that’s limited, as parents can “promise” not to put them on the street again and get them released from the Home. The Home is designated as legal guardian through the courts until the kids turn 18. But the parents can still trick the system. It’s sad…..just like in America.
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😦 to the predicament.
May your magnanimity be justly rewarded in this life and the next.
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SubhanAllah. Jazaka Allahu khair wa Allah barafeek. I am only trying to help the children. May Allah protect them, provide for them and reward them for their constant jihad of existence. Their troubles are not their own. They are punished for only being alive. May Allah have mercy on their souls and grant them asylum in this life and the Hereafter. Ameen.
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We are all fighting the constant jihad of existence…that seems to be the point of religion these days anyway.
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Subhan’Allah, Hyde. Ain’t that the truth! Subhan’Allah. May Allah grant us eternal peace and relaxation on the other side, insha’Allah! Ameen.
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I have been busy earlier, but finally arrived here to read this. Will surely publisize this organization’s work and frankly I am not really a good Muslim or human bieng but never-the-less I think that children (For Allah’s sake children, younglings) are children first before being Christian, Muslim etc etc.
I have also been part of many emergency assistance regionally and we never asked a hungry war refugee ” Are you Muslim” before giving him or her a food package!!!! Excuse me but what the **** is this mentality of our’s or thiers!!!!!!?
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Perhaps if you were to take those feminist glasses off, you’ll be able to see.
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Seriously? What does being a feminist have to do with the price of an orphan in Jordan?
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It is our obligation as Muslims to help everyone in need of help. The directive to give in charity doesn’t say first make sure they are Muslim. The directive to give to the orphan does not say first make sure their parents followed your madhab. etc. It is total retardation that Muslims at large have forgotten that.
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Yes I agree, there are always retards telling off against charity to people who don’t follow same religion and I hope you do realize sister that I have twice said basically the same thing as you, off course in another wording. Just thought to clear this up.
Secondly, what’s with this price of children, I must say I don’t support any eastern western or religious doctrine supporting human transactions. I am an orphan myself, but I don’t go around buying children off streets in Lahore, Hyderabad so I can appease the greatness of me of saving a life, to me this is bullshit and very callous.
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No, I am in NO way condoning buying children. Ever. And that was not what I was saying at all. This is heinous. “The price of an Orphan in Jordan” was a play on words in the vein of “What does it have to do with the Price of tea in China” i.e. What does begin a feminist have to do with anything? This was my response to Hyde talking about feminism somehow skewing vision, which I find absurd. I was only agreeing with you on this point and in regards to giving charity to anyone who needs it. I was not trying to explain it to you further, just explaining my understanding of it because I tend to run my mouth when it comes to writing, if that makes any sense.
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Ah ok, at first I was thinking the same,but I felt the need to know if I had offended you in some way.
Yes, he does tend to be critical of feminists.. which I am learning to take into my stride 😀
Yes, I absolutely agree with your point of view, and the sad thing is that Syrian,Palestinian war orphans are being sold around. What a sad world it is… 😦
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It sickens me to hear the stories of these innocent youths being taken advantage of and being bought and sold. Just sickening. I just don’t understand how can people be so heartless to take advantage of young people who have already been through soo sooooo sooooooo much. Which is why I think charities like this are so important. Yes, our good pal Hyde, he keeps us on our toes. 😉
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Not at all, I don’t need my feminist identity or Muslim, or woman, or whatever the hell identity to make a human out of me or have compassion for children regardless of their associations, and I do wonder WHY would you take it to the contrary.
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Beautifully put. Human first. The rest are choices.
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