Blog
“Cover Your Hair!”
Basma ran home to her mother crying. On her way back from school, she ran into two bearded men who shouted: “Cover your hair,” attached to other things I can’t mention here. This wasn’t the first time Basma got intimidated going to school. So, her mother tried a...
Coptic Orphans Welcomes Our New Shepherd
Coptic Orphans welcomes our new shepherd, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II. After hearing about the results of the papal election, Pope Tawadros told reporters that His Holiness "will start by organizing the house from within," according to the Associated Press. His...
Coptic Diaspora: Building Another Pyramid for Egypt
The Diaspora Engagement Alliance, a partnership between the US Department of State, USAID, and the Migration Policy Institute, recently published a post on the work of Coptic Orphans. The Great Pyramids of Giza represent the biggest cornerstone of Egyptian pride. If...
B’edaya: The Results
A big factor in Egypt’s orphan issue is that when a family loses the father, they’re sunk. Traditions do not usually give a widowed mother the opportunity to be able to earn money to support her family. In fact, widows wear black and stay at home, out of the way. Last...
Egypt’s Lost Glory
Her life was about as difficult as one can imagine. Sixteen-year-old Hala lost her father in 2008. She was living with her mother and two siblings in Helwan, (near Cairo) on a mere 170 Egyptian pounds ($28) per month from her father’s pension. Her little sister was...
She Didn’t Drown
Sherry was sitting at the back of an old microbus after spending a long day going from home to home, checking on the progress of orphaned children in Samalout, and delivering free health insurance cards to children. The cards gave each child rare coverage for high...
In a Few Words
Coptic Orphans is an absolutely fantastic organization. What really impressed me is that the Volunteer Rep knows the family and is well aware of their struggles. This resounding praise comes from Michael Boctor of Montreal, who has been sponsoring a family in Egypt...
World Teachers’ Day
Education in Egypt is teacher-directed. Children aren't given room to ask questions and merely repeat what their teacher tells them. Such a classroom environment does not foster creativity or promote learning. As we celebrate World Teachers’ Day today, here’s a...
What does Justice Have to Do with the Orphaned? (Part II)
Last week, I shared with you Grace's story and how her uncle wanted to pull her out of school and marry her off. Grace, her siblings and mother were dependent on him for support. He decided to use that to get his way. He told Grace's mother: "I won't support you any...
What does Justice Have to Do with the Orphaned? (Part I)
Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause. (Is 1:17, ESV) The other day I was talking to a colleague about what the best expression of God’s heart for the orphan in Egypt. I mentioned Isaiah 1:17,...
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