My heart ached after watching the video below. My eyes filled with tears and I felt helpless to do anything being so far away from the country I was brought up in. My heart and soul went out to these beautiful beings whose lives were destroyed by the people who were entrusted to take care of them. They were abused on so many different levels. I fail to comprehend how they could do such a crime… a crime against humanity. They pride themselves with prayer and yet they know nothing of their religion. If they had only read the Quran or the Bible, they would understand that it is our duty to take care of the poor and the orphaned children. I fail to fathom how people could hurt others who are already in pain for not having a mother, a father, a sibling… a family.
I am so saddened at the moment that I just want to write my feelings down without looking back at what I wrote. I do not care what I wrote… I feel helpless… hopeless… why hopeless? you might ask… because I believed that people had goodness in them no matter whether they committed a crime or an atrocity… I felt that even the murderers behind bars have a sliver of white goodness in them… Goodness that would blossom and grow if they were given a chance. But I can see now, that I might have been wrong… How could they look into the eyes of innocent children and abuse them sexually, physically mentally and emotionally. HOW? Didn’t they know that they are shaping these kids for the future?
How can they leave them to fend for themselves and find their way when they were not given the skills to do so? How can they find a job or a place to stay if they were not provided with the necessary support?
When I was 18, I worked at an orphanage to help the little ones with their homework but especially with their English. It was part of the CAS (Creativity, Arts and Service) program for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. I had such a connection with those kids… They were adorable and so polite… They just wanted a helping hand, a hug and a smiling face. It never once occurred to me that they could be abused in such a way that would cripple them and lead them to contemplate committing suicide.
I think the reason why I was oblivious was because I remember watching my parents clean and iron a suit, shirt and tie once and placing it in a plastic cover before hanging it on a door knob. I asked them who was the suit for and they explained to me that this young man was graduating from university…. “Really? Who is he?” I asked…He turned out to be an orphan they were supporting and paying for his university education. That was a long time ago … in the 80s. So what is happening now? Why isn’t this continuing? Are people not supporting orphans after 18 years of age? Why? Why are things changing? Why are people becoming only involved in their lives and turning a blind eye to the situation out there?
Despite my sorrow, I am so glad that there are people there who are actually taking a risk to spread the word… people who are trying to help out and bring awareness to the public and the government about what goes on in their own society. I so hope something good will come out of this fight. There are many projects to protect women and children now and I believe that another issue should be set on the table and that is the right of these wonderful orphaned beings.
The film:
5 comments:
That's so heartbreaking. I hope that something will change now that people are highlighting the issues. Is Amnesty International involved too?
HI Jan... no I do not think there are but now there are Arab non-government organizations that are getting involved... they have a facebook page... my sister found out some more information and got the contact numbers...so when I fly home in two weeks, I am thinking of visiting them and taking the kids... I so hope things change... my heart is still aching for them...
Lana I have no words only tears and heartbreak. These two boys whose faces we see, they have so much dignity and beauty in spite of how they feel about themselves and there place in the world. And the young girls - I want to scream to just think what their lives are - or are not.
I don't understand this system of identity papers with the extra 0's. More than organizations, the Jordanian government must make changes in these laws or rules, even with non-governmental organization beginning to help.
Lana, the saddest, most hardest truth of all is that this extraordinary film is about what is happening in Amman but it speaks of all powerless women and children - people in our world who are treated this way by ignorant demons. And we look at ourselves and our children and wonder who is that chooses who is spared and who is lost. The faces and voices are imprinted on my mind.
I love the change in background.
Thank you Paula... I wanted to revert to blue... a healing color!
I do not understand the system either... but I think the ball is now rolling... read below... people are now beginning to do something about it... people's eyes have been opened and their Facebook page is bombarded with people who want to help.... I am thinking of taking my kids to some orphanages when I am there for two weeks this summer... they need to know and I want to do something to help out. Will let you know how that goes.
Sakeena - سكينة
(Facebook)
ID000 won first place in the Franco-Arab Film Festival.
Sakeena would like to congratulate and thank the SAE students who made it!
Widad Shafago, David Deir and Yazan Hazeem
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