lebanon#10: fatherless

we visited the home of hope orphanage in beirut today.

based on the outskirts of the city. on a hill. overlooking the city all the way to the mediterranean. stunning location.

here lived anywhere between 20 to 170 children that have been referred onto the centre. the children (defined as between 3 to 18 year olds) have been found on the streets, been know to cause troubles. many are half syrian and are a testimony to the impact of the occupation.

the word "orphanage" is not one that those working in these community and social programmes like to use. instead this is called a "home".

the children have anywhere up to 2 years in this place before they are moved on. this place aims to give heathcare, education and love whilst within their care.

i've been to a number of "homes", like these, in my time. some have been horrific others breaming with hope.

we just spent over an hour speaking with the founder. he's certainly a passionate character.

as we moved down we interrupted lunch hour. 30-40 kids having lunch. they were wearing similar clothes and munching on their grub.

naturally they were curious with the visitors. i talked to two lads, who were trying to talk english to me, and very well i might add. they wanted me to laugh with them and i naturally talk about liverpool fc. the international language of football. it doesn't work, but i do notice that one of them was sitting on a stash of recorded dvds. so we look through them, laugh at the pictures, find out which one they like best. the ice was broken.

before long they wanted to fight me. playfully of course. we settle for an arm wrestle (i spend a long time to try and avoid fighting and getting my boys to not do so)... but boys they are.

a few other lads comes over. one thrusts two stones in my hands and gets me to hold them together and then does an array of circles around my hands with some other stones and before i know it my hands are, by magic, stuck together. we laugh. we smile. we leave.

my heart drops as we walk away.

i've been to many "orphanages", never once have i walked away unaffected.