[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_single_image image=”126460″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]08/24/2021 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – 11-year-old Hana is perhaps one of the brightest students in his grade at Hope House in Egypt. He was one of two students with a perfect score during his summer school cumulative testing and consistently scores well on Arabic, English, and Math. Hana told ICC staff that he loves these subjects and feels smart answering questions in class when the teacher asks. With his educational aptitude, Hana and his parents both have big dreams for his future. His father commented that his “desire is for Hana to attend college”. And yet as the oldest male child in the family, Hana’s future career may be in question.
His mother said, “I have two daughters, Rania and Amira. Rania has vision problems and is hearing-impaired. Amira also has vision problems”. In addition to Hana’s two older sisters, he also has a brother who is several years younger than him. Hana’s father works as a carpenter and as such, it is normally expected that Hana would learn alongside his father and eventually join him in his career.
Hana expressed interest in carpentry saying, “I want to help my father work in the craft, learn carpentry and be a big carpenter.” And yet, in the same meeting with ICC, Hana also said “I want to be a lawyer to defend the poor people.” It was an echo of the same sentiment Hana told ICC three years ago. While many children change their career goals time and time again, for Hana to say two different paths at one time indicates that he is likely not trusting he could achieve his goals, even though he has held them for many years. This ultimately stems from the mindset pushed upon Egyptian Christians that they have less value and are less incorporated to the broader community.[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”“I want to be a lawyer to defend the poor people.“” font_container=”tag:h5|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1629719809294{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-bottom: 60px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1629719772664{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]
Christian children in Egypt typically struggle to ever attend college or higher education, particularly for first-born sons who are needed to help financially support the family by entering the workforce immediately. When Hope House is not in session, Hana goes with his father to work.
Hope House seeks to equip poorer Christian Egyptian children like Hana so that they can combat the generational persecution that oftentimes keeps them in the same careers and day laborer jobs. The child sponsorship program provides educational incentives, medical attention, nutritional support and additional gifts and activities. This summer in Hope House Hana wrote a letter saying, “I have learned reading quickly, the alphabets, words spelling and the punctuations. I also have learned to obey God and ignore the devil.” Empowering children through education allows students like Hana to pursue their own betterment, which in turn supports the whole Christian community.
Would you consider partnering with ICC to help fight the generational persecution that Christians in Egypt face? To learn more about ICC’s Hope House or provide a financial gift, visit this page. To inquire about sponsoring a child, contact ICC at icc@persecution.org.
For interviews please contact Addison Parker: press@persecution.org
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