Four Homes of Mercy

The Four Homes of Mercy

of the Arab Orthodox Invalid's Home Charitable Society

Hearts of Gold:

In summing up the review of our services at the Four Homes of Mercy in Bethany close to Jerusalem, I like to pay attention to an important factor in our work. This factor relates to the selfless dedication of our staff as well as the desire of philanthropists to share in doing good deeds for the better of humanity and seem to appreciate it that here is the place where any assistance is welcome.

This cannot be verified, unless we put forth the instances that made us say so.

For instance let us have a look at St. Mary’s Maternity hospital. A sweet little building in the midst of apricot trees in Beit Jala, a modest house of modest furniture and equipment with staff capable of handling maternity cases while working under difficult conditions. From 1953, the year the maternity was started officially to 2000, 22,839 babies were born in that little house.

Founded in the midst of five camps, it was to curb infantile paralysis, plus abolish the hazards of faulty births, and unclean conditions, it became appreciated by many mothers and those who visited it.

One day a visitor who had supported the maternity services earlier by donating two incubators came to visit again and she asked the matron what she would like to have as a gift for the place. The matron answered “baby caps”. That day was an icy cold day and matron hated to see mothers leave after deliveries with their babies having little cover.

And so it was that the kindly visitor started to knit “baby caps” she knitted while traveling in a bus she knitted as she visited the bank, she knitted in the park, she also knitted various colors and shades of wool. In no time, friends pitched in to help. As it was an interesting passed time: easy to make, easy to provide the wool, easy to post. Somehow it all became a “baby cap campaign”, some even added little baby jackets easy to wear, even baby receiving blankets made of weave it squares. Soon it became a token of solidarity to women in need who find refuge close to the maternity.

Surely nothing could be as precious as the little gifts of “baby caps” that say: “baby dear I love you.” Good for those “Hearts of Gold” who thought and put into action something as little as a “Baby Cap”.

Back to the Homes of Mercy, a young man in his thirties sat one day in his wheel chair and started to bemoan his poor luck saying:
“My brother seldom visits me, he sits with his wife and children, he enjoys himself while I, poor Jamil sit here all alone forgotten as I am!” Saying this Jamil burst out sobbing, with those around him trying to appease him.

On the second day nurse Ali walked into Jamil’s ward “I have a present for you sent by your brother, look here see where he wrote your name.”

Jamil, to his surprise hugged the box, opened it, then wheeled himself around offering its contents saying: “See I guessed my brother loves me, he thinks of me, sure he loves me, I love him too!”

Someone with a “Heart of Gold” must have been behind that gift to Jamil’s, who cares who. It is enough to see Jamil satisfied like that.

More and more of these acts of patching up lives get to be known around here. I have one other incident to be mentioned. It was Abla the aid nurse at the Children’s Home for the physically handicapped children. She sat next to me in the car which took us up the hill to the “Homes”. I glanced at what Abla had in her hand, it was a see-through nylon bag with a blue colored baby booties. “Why Abla” I said “You did not tell me your brother had a baby boy.” “Mama” answered Abla “I bought these for the new helpless child who was brought over yesterday to join our Children’s Home.” Then she added “Mama, his feet were blue with cold.”

That dear lovely Abla. What a compassionate “Heart of Gold” she has!

Let us not forget here a certain orthopedic surgeon who made free of charge four different adjustment operations for our resident patients. Think of the many hours of standing on his feet in the surgery room to help those who needed his help. Think of the team of therapists who spent extra hours helping Souma reach one step better in her life. I saw this girl coming towards me in our corridor at the Homes. She gave a push forward to her wheel chair and stretched out her arms to welcome me, clearly pleased: “Mama” she said as happy as ever, “the therapist says I’ll be improving one step forward if I keep to time at the therapy section.” MY! What hope for so little! And those therapists on a hard job … None but those with a “Heart of Gold” could do it.

And … and Muhammad who came to us “doomed” as his parents said. He is now scheduled to go back with walking aids to his hometown Gaza when there is a chance to do so.

Enough for now. With these few examples we like to say, and with certainty, that a lot of good goes on within the Four Homes of Mercy and from those who lend a hand, enough to make us say that “The Hearts of Gold” are surely a blessing of love, care and compassion equal to the services of those who gave our “Homes” a new look in administration care and devotion to the welfare of mankind.

Henrietta Siksek Farradj
Executive Honorary Secretary