Bethlehem: In the heart of Bethlehem, a small orphanage quietly offers warmth, care, and dignity to children who have lost or been denied the protection of a family. The Orphanage of the Holy Family, run by the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, welcomes abandoned and orphaned children up to the age of six, giving them a safe place to grow in their most fragile years.
Inside the building, often called the Crèche, daily life is filled with the sounds of laughter, small footsteps, and gentle voices. Children play with toys, draw with colorful markers, and wait for loving attention from the sisters who care for them. Many of the children were abandoned at birth or found on the streets, often born into extremely difficult family situations.
Father Karim Maroun, provincial superior of the Vincentians, explains that some mothers are forced to give up their children due to fear, poverty, or lack of family support. The sisters receive these newborns, raise them, and surround them with affection. He says these children reflect the fragile beginning of Jesus himself, born into hardship and uncertainty.
The orphanage is carefully organized to meet every need. Forty five children live there permanently, while another thirty five attend day care during working hours. The facility includes dormitories divided by age, classrooms, play areas, a kitchen, a dining hall, and a chapel. Around seventy people, including sisters, educators, doctors, and volunteers, work together to keep the home running.
Sister Laudy Fares, who has served at the orphanage for two decades, says that Christmas is not limited to one day in this place. According to her, the living presence of Jesus is celebrated every day through care and service. She explains that faith is expressed not through words alone but through love, welcome, and daily actions.
The stay of the children, however, is temporary. Once they turn six, they must leave the orphanage and enter the Palestinian state system. This moment is often painful for the sisters, as the future of the children is uncertain. Adoption is not permitted locally, leaving many children without the possibility of a permanent family.
Despite financial challenges, the orphanage continues its mission thanks to donations from pilgrims, local families, and supporters from different communities. Sister Fares describes this support as an act of providence, where even the smallest contribution becomes a blessing.
Visitors often form deep emotional bonds with the children. Volunteers bring food, clothes, toys, and essential supplies, creating a strong chain of solidarity around the orphanage. Through these acts of kindness, the children receive not only care but also a sense of belonging.
In a region marked by tension and hardship, the Orphanage of the Holy Family stands as a quiet sign of hope, offering love and dignity to children who might otherwise be forgotten.