By Patsy Wilson | Executive Director, Solace for the Children
2011 was a great year for offering healing to the children of Afghanistan! More than 50 children were treated and returned home to their loving families! I was honored to travel to Afghanistan in December with two Solace Extended participants who were returning home. We also were delighted to meet with several of the Solace Alumni and their families to hear more about how Solace had impacted the child, the family and many times the community in which they live.
Mahboba came to Solace in 2009 Solace Summer Program. After the possible treatment was complete, it was clear the most important gift we could offer this beautiful girl was an education. Her area did not offer her an opportunity to learn, so Solace found a way to hire a teacher to come to her. Now Mahboba and her siblings all benefit! Solace sees this as a great benefit to us all. Any time a child is educated we all benefit!
Ashraf has been an Extended Program participant with major orthopedic work accomplished. His family traveled over dangerous roads for many miles to welcome him home! The celebration began immediately and followed Ashraf back into the streets of his own village! With your gifts to Solace, you have helped change Ashraf's corner of the world!
Solace children come from cities and from the remotest areas of Afghanistan! Sana, 2010 Solace alumni, stands in the kitchen of her village home helping her aunt cook bread in the out of ground tandoori.
On our last night in Afghanistan, we were eating with friends in the dark (no power that night) when we heard men shouting loudly in the streets. As the shouting grew louder, the guard went out to discover the reason. Quickly we learned the shouting was prayers offered up and down the street for the safety and well being of there families and their homes! A lunar eclipse was darkening the moon and fear was sweeping the streets. I couldn't help but think that anytime darkness invades the lives of good people, prayers should be shouted! Prayers for peace and wholeness and love to overtake us all!
Now we turn our efforts to the children who need us in 2012, we invite you to shout out prayers of peace and healing! We invite you to join Solace for the Children as we build peace on a foundation of health!
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