Update from our Christmas Appeal
Our Christmas appeal this year was to raise funds for Jeel Al Amal, Al Shurooq School and the Bethlehem Rehabilitaion Centre in the West Bank. Thank you so much to all who donated, as a parish we raised around £500. Below is a message from the McCabe Education Trust, who our funds went through, and a short message from Jeel Al Amal and Al Shurooq.
McCabe Education Trust
A huge thank you to all the McCabe Education Trust supporters – the Christmas Appeal raised £45,000.
This money has already greatly benefited the boys at Jeel Al Amal, Al Shurooq School, Bethlehem Rehabilitaion Centre and the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre. In addition, we sent a Christmas gift to Bethlehem which reached 250 families with the help of our friends at Bethlehem Bible College.
Jeel Al Amal Boys Home & School
For us at Jeel, the children and everybody miss our dear friends coming and visiting. Friends are not coming anymore and our sources of income have become scarce. We have been trying to make both ends meet and store and secure all that is needed for the children. We are planning and preparing beforehand which has placed another responsibility on our shoulders.
For the children to stay safe we keep them in the home, going to school and entertained. We focus on activities that let the children express themselves in meaningful ways and deviate their atention from the harsh reality we are living in. We are creating this peaceful environment away from what is going on outside.
There are now ten new children being admitted to Jeel from the West bank area. More and more difficult cases are coming in. I think the grim reality reflects itself on the work we are doing.
This year we have also enlarged the kindergarten and added one more classroom, rising the number of children to 74 because of the great demand.
There are a few projects we aspire to achieve, one of them is the computer room where fifteen computers need to be updated and repaired and some new ones need to be bought. The water cistern project has been great in providing water for the school and boarding section. We no longer have a problem with water which is a great blessing.
We pray for peace and justice to prevail where all people can live together in harmony, freedom and for our children believing they are key for a better future.
Blessings
Najwa Sahhar
Director
Al Shurooq
We extend our sincerest thanks for the unwavering financial support you continue to provide us. The significance of your Christmas gift during these challenging moments cannot be overstated.
Your generosity will not only provide essential support but also infused the festive season with joy and warmth. We are moved by the opportunity to purchase simple yet meaningful gifts, transforming the holiday season into a celebration of love, care, and unity. Our collective aspiration is for the New Year to be filled with peace across the globe.
In the heart of our society and Al Shurooq School, your presence is more than support; it is protection and an inspiration of light in times of need. The strength of the bond between us is a testament to the enduring commitment to creating a better tomorrow for the marginalized in our society, particularly for children with special needs.
Together, let us continue to forge a path towards a future where every child, regardless of circumstance, can bask in the warmth of opportunity and care.
Your generosity has planted seeds of hope that will undoubtedly flower into a garden of transformative change.
Sincerely
Dr Simon Alaraj, Chair