by Rula Samain | Oct 13, 2012 | JORDAN TIMES
In this recent photo, nuns and foreign volunteers sit for a casual chat outside a church in Arjan, Ajloun, around 80km north of Amman, where they offer education and social services to children from broken families (Photo by Rula Samain)
AJLOUN — More than six years ago when Father Hugo Alaniz came from Argentina to Jordan, his mind was set to making a difference in a Christian community in Ajloun Governorate by trying to meet the community’s needs and providing help whenever possible.
But he never expected to actually be providing a kind of childcare.
The Catholic priest of the Lady of the Mount Church told The Jordan Times that when he first came from Argentina in early 2005, he began helping the Arjan Christian community providing aid to poor families, visiting members in prisons and offering education to their children.
He said that getting to know the families more closely day by day, he discovered a serious problem of broken families and the ensuing homeless children issue, which needed immediate intervention from the church.
“I found out that there was an increasing number of children left uncared for, abused or homeless which required immediate interference from church here [Arjan],” he said, adding that due to different kinds of problems in many cases, the children are left either unattended or uncared for properly.
Since Father Alaniz’s arrival “God’s call” became louder. He, along with three nuns, provided maintenance to the small house in the parish to put up with three children at first. The number grew to 30 boys and girls of different age categories.
“The children are like sons and daughters to me and the nuns,” he said. “We try to provide them with the most important thing that they are lacking — that is the love of a mother and father in order for them to feel the security which they were deprived of.”
Father Alaniz added: “We are not an association, but a church that provides home for Christian children who have been deprived of their original homes.”
What started as an unplanned mission limited to Arjan has now expanded to include disadvantaged children and young people countrywide.
Categories: Arab World, Argentina, Asia, CHRISTIANITY, Church, Jordan, Religious Values
We have to learn from everyone whatever is good. Are we good enough? Do we care for our neighbors? Do we care for our brothers/sisters that are lonely, sick? Does anyone need help and does not receive it?