As many of you may know, my family and I travel to Egypt quite frequently to visit relatives. We will be going again soon, and with this opportunity GO-HOPE’s third mission is born. GO-HOPE’s objective is to help all people in need, everywhere. This time we hope to help orphans and street children.
Our first objective is to help a Christian Orphanage.
Orphaned children in Egypt face specific challenges. They cannot be adopted, even if there is a loving family that wants them. It is prohibited by Egyptian law to adopt a child. Hence, there is no hope for them to have a normal life as we know it. These children are viewed as second class citizens, because they have no father or have lost both parents. There is a stigma put on them solely because they are orphaned. This makes it difficult for them to achieve anything in life.
For these children an orphanage is their only hope, and often may be what spares them from an early death. These institutions give babies and children some ray of hope for a better future. They give these vulnerable children basic necessities such as, food, shelter, love, Christian roots, and an education. When they get older, many orphanages help them obtain jobs and get married. In this way they start a new life with no shame.
Our second objective is to help Street Children.
Knowing what these children go through will break your heart! They are in dire need of our help. Street children, in particular, have a very hard time surviving. They are treated badly by almost everyone and have no support from anywhere. Many of them lost their mother in child-birth, or later by illness and their father didn’t want them. Others were abused by their parents and had no recourse but to flee to the streets. The stories are many and are all very sad.
These children face a shortage of the basic necessities, often not even having enough food to eat. They live in sub-human conditions and many don’t have the opportunity to attend school. They are mistreated by most including the authorities, because they are looked upon as nuisances and criminals.
We are writing to you today, to appeal for your help to aid these helpless children that are forgotten by the world. You can make a difference in their lives! Please consider supporting our mission with a monetary donation.
Thank you in advance for your support. Please contact me for donation information at 708-267-8057 or annalagen@aol.com. You can send your donations to the address below.
Sincerely,
Anna-Maria Girgis Director of GO-HOPE
c/o Hellenic Orthodox Church
11360 S. Lawler Ave.
Alsip, IL 60803
708.267.8057
www.GO-HOPE.org
