MEPO

Helping Others During the Harsh Winters of 2007-2009

 A woman of one of the families who received help.

Inside the home of one of the families.  

 

Gul Mohammad from the House of Flowers holding a bag of blankets and clothes to give to this family.   

 Nadia from HoF giving a new coat to a friend.

 Fahim, manager of HoF, with some of the children whose families received help .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Children and Staff of HoF Assist Poor Families in Kabul

We always try to share with you the joys of life and happy times in the House of Flowers. But we cannot disguise the fact, and it certainly is no secret, that life in Afghanistan continues to become more and more heartbreaking for many people. It is crucial that the children of the House learn that they have a moral obligation to share what they have been given, and help others worse off than themselves. And Kabul offers plenty of opportunities to do this.

Late in 2007, just as winter was beginning, there was news of a wheat shortage crisis in the country. The price of bread was doubling, and the poorest were suffering even more than usual, unable to feed their families. The House of Flowers staff took care to stockpile enough wheat and rice to ensure adequate food for the children, but outside the House many were struggling to survive.  Two staff of the HoF distributed small amounts of money ($20 each) to a total of 200 poor families on the street to buy food.

But as the weather became unceasingly and exceedingly harsh, we began hearing reports of hundreds of people, often children, freezing to death every night. Fahim, HoF manager, organized more money and this time also bought hats, blankets, socks, shoes and sweaters.  Fahim and Dr. Inayatullah, another staff member from the House, planned everything, and this time they took some of the older HoF children to help pass things out.

Our children also took some of their own toys to share with the other children they would be meeting.  It was a successful effort, and dozens of families were helped with clothing, blankets and money for food, but it was also painful and heart-wrenching for everyone. Many of the children in the pictures they sent us were  wearing thin cotton clothes and had no socks; all were suffering.

The winter of 2008-09 was no better, but this time the House was prepared. We set aside part of the House budget specifically for community support, and the staff quickly arranged for supportive visits to families struggling with not enough food, insufficient clothing and no heat. This time, the children of the House were integrally involved in deciding what to give and how much to give each family. They chose to give even more than had been budgeted, and went out with the staff to meet these families and share with them directly.

Click here to read Dr. Inayatullah's letters from 2008 and 2009  describing their outings.

 

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