03/16/2020 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – Bright eyes peer through the rims of large square glasses as a small Egyptian boy of 9 years old walks towards school, a backpack resting over his shoulders. Hana Yousef doesn’t like soccer and never watches it on TV, although many other boys his age like the sport. He likes structured activities, especially math and Arabic grammar, and wants to become a lawyer. “I want to help the weak people,” he explained. But as much as he loves these subjects, school is not enjoyable for Hana.
His teacher is “very hard and violent. He usually hits the students and punishes them for no reason. Mr. Mustapha is the only Muslim teacher who supports the other kids to fight the Christian kids.”
ICC’s Hope House Center, however, is the highlight of Hana’s day. “I love the school, especially the building because it is called al-Amal, Hope. I love the teacher who treats me well. She is so calm,” he said.
Hope House was established in rural Egypt to provide afterschool tutoring services for Christian children suffering the consequences of persecution. The most impoverished children, such as Hana, are eligible for sponsorship. Those who sponsor a child gift them with healthy nutrition, medical care, and extra educational opportunities.
For Hana, the program has brought opportunities to his entire family that was never possible before. For example, a simple meal of mixed eggs and tomatoes is Hana’s favorite, but he has not experienced many opportunities for other kinds of nutrition. Sponsorship means that his whole family can eat well. His father called ICC’s team and shared that they are “grateful for the things you send us; God is very good.”
“We had dreamed of being well-educated persons,” he said. But life had different plans. “The childhood lifestyle didn’t exist because my father died when I was (young), so I quit school and started to work as a carpenter.”
If Hana weren’t sponsored, then he would face a similar fate. Instead, his childhood is protected. “The Hope House Center is an investment in every child. The contact with the family creates a relationship of trust and security,” said one of Hana’s teachers.
Sponsorship has transformed Hana’s quality of life, giving him the promise of a future. Fifty children participate in the Hope House child sponsorship program. Like Hana, the program has changed their lives. However, each of these children has yet to be matched with a sponsor. For only $30 a month, each sponsored child receives access to nutrition, medical, spiritual, and educational care. A biannual exchange of letters will help sponsors stay prayerfully updated on the child’s life.
To sign up as a sponsor or support ICC’s Hope House program, give us a call at 800.422.5441 or consider donating today.
