I believe in miracles.
Every step of the way, at every event, social meeting or even family occasion there were nay -sayers.
People who said Afghanistan was too dangerous.
It’s a lost cause they said.
How can you go in to a war zone and expect to succeed?
Why don’t you donate the money you have raised to another organization and avoid the risk…don’t make your life difficult…
These are words we all heard, and maybe even reconsidered every step of the way.
But today a miracle happened.
Today, March 22nd 2009 we initiated the first step of the Amin Institute.
We opened our doors to all those who set aside their own livelihoods to help us, our neighbors, community elders and leaders to help bless this momentous occasion.
More importantly, we brought home three of our first orphans.
Although, it was only their first day, their faces were visibly brighter then when we first saw them.
They immediately swarmed the house.
Running up and down the tri-level house, climbing the bunk beds, exchanging slippers trying on their new clothes, and taking naps in their new home, a great sense of pride and accomplishment overwhelmed all of us who toiled day and night to prepare this home.
We sat down with them and spoke in great detail about their stories.
They spoke freely and casually about the atrocities they have seen.
Death, devastation, bombardment and abuse just to name a few.
At certain points it became so unbearable I had to leave the room so they wouldn’t see me cry…I don’t want them to feel their strength as my weakness.
Through it all they never shed a tear, flinched or gave their suffering a second thought- it was a natural part of life for them.
Even more immaculately these street children reserved hope.
When asked what they wanted to be when they grow up two of them said a doctor and one said a government minister.
For them the sky is the limit, they cant possibly loose more then they already have and dare I say have the “audacity to hope.”
It became evident that these were the right children for us.
Today we opened the door for hope to replenish the spirits of these three children and in the coming days will welcome several more into our happy home.
We hope that in the coming days, months and years the Omeid family can share many more happy days just like this one.
