Bethlehem, West Bank (dpa) – La Creche is one of the few places in the West Bank where unwanted Palestinian children can find a loving home. The orphanage is a Christian facility managed by the Daughters of the Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, yet it lies rooted in a society riven by tribal and cultural bias. The home is in Bethlehem, where Christians believe baby Jesus was found in a manger in a humble stable. Sadly, the place turned out to be far less auspicious for these youngsters and their mothers, many of whom had to endure violence and suffering before finding refuge within its walls. The children living here were conceived out of rape, incest or simply “by mistake,” yet the true cause of their cruel treatment is a taboo subject. No one dares talk openly about what happened to these young outcasts for fear that relatives might seek revenge and even kill them in order to restore traditional family honour. As a result, most of the children here are told that they entered this world in a cardboard box. In fact, most were literally abandoned after birth while others were handed over to the home by mother or father provided that no questions were asked. Nihad is one them. Dressed in a pink romper suit, the nine-month-old baby beams at visitors from her cot in the Creche. Her mother, aged 16, was raped by a taxi driver and later became pregnant. For the deperate teenager, the Creche in Bethlehem was the only port of call in a hostile environment. Taking the decision to come here saved her life and that of her child. But she paid a high price. The baby had to be delivered by Caesarian section at the age of seven months in a clandestine operation at the Creche hospital. Relatives and neighbours would otherwise have noticed her girth and may even have murdered her for bringing “shame” on the family. In many cases, such killers serve only brief jail sentences if convicted. The knife that cut the umbilical cord also severed the girl's relationship with her offspring. She will probably never see her baby again, since to do so would be simply too dangerous. Nihad cannot be adopted, since Islamic laws forbid the practice, and if no foster parents can be found she will live at the Creche until she turns six years of age before being transferred to another facility. “Police know the identity of the rapist but he is allowed to walk about as a free man,” said Iskandar Andon, a social worker at the orphanage. “According to strict Islamic law, the woman is always to blame for a child born out of wedlock, even if she was forced to have sex,” said the 42-year-old Palestinian. “We celebrate Christmas the whole year round since babies are constantly coming our way,” said sister Sophie Boueri, a resolute lady in her 70s who hails originally from Lebanon. She has been in charge of the Creche for nigh on 20 years and recently handed over to her younger colleague Elisabeth Noirot. The home was founded in 1883 and is financed by private donations. It provides around-the-clock care for 55 children aged up to six years of age. A further 70 children from impoverished local families are day visitors. Behind the walls of the extensive home complex, they live in bright, cheerful accommodation and most play happily as if they had not a care in the world. Visitors are quickly surrounded by eager children, anxious for attention. Mohamed, 4, thrusts his cuddly zebra into view while Ali, who is also 4 years old, wants everyone to admire his shiny plastic bucket. Iskandar, who has two children of his own, knows all the infants by name and has time for every individual. Meanwhile, Yussuf is weeping pitifully. His mother is mentally ill and since she is staying with relatives in town, the social worker must take him to see her. The fate of Yussuf and his sisters is hard to reconcile with the Western concept of morals and human rights. As a young woman, the mother was pledged to a much older man whom she was obliged to marry. She is now 40, while her husband died recently aged 91 years. “No one will marry her now since she insists on keeping her children and no man will stand for that. She would have to give them away,” said Iskandar. Iskandar claims that many people in the West Bank cling to archaic ways, yet sister Sophie warns against Christian righteousness. “Children are abused and abandoned in Christian societies too,” she says. The Christian character of the home is low-key. “We play it down since we don't want to provoke anyone,” said Iskandar. There are hardly any crucifixes or other religious symbols on view. Many Moslem parents fear that their children could be “infected” by Christianity. “They do not understand what we mean by compassion,” says Iskandar. dpa ro a3 rg mb npr BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/BCwq9 Tags: Bethlehem, Children, Manger, West Bank Section: Features, Palestine
