Children of all dominations and faiths receive christmas gifts by HCEF.

Children-of-all-dominations-and-faiths-receive-christmas-gifts-by-HCEF

Let the children come to me: for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.
Matthew 19:14

At Christmas, children all over the world welcome the birth of Jesus with joy, laughter, hope, and gifts. The children in Palestine are not able to welcome Christmas with this same anticipation. Because of the occupation, the Palestinian economy is devastated, and many children have no hope of receiving a gift at all. Every year HCEF seeks to provide modest Christmas gifts for these children.

This year HCEF has organized Christmas celebration for children, on December 18, 2019 at the HCEF Social Development and Cultural Center. The children came from different schools, but the majority were students from the Latin Patriarchate School and UNWRA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) school. This year we included this celebration The HCEF program included, dancing, face painting and distribution of Christmas gifts. In January of 2018, the US cut $65 million in funding for UNWRA. The UNWRA school may be shuttered and its students left without educational facilities and support.

HCEF celebration was organized with the help of Fr. Louis Hazboun Pastor Birzeit at the Queen of Peace Latin Patriarchate Church; representative of local government, and the members, staff, and the management of Birzeit Social Development and cultural Center.

Receiving a gift from Christians outside the Holy Land, such as the Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies, and The shrine of St. Jude Catholic Church, Rockville, Maryland, National Presbyterian Church is a sign of hope for these children who live in adversity caused by the occupation, violence and conflict. Children and their families from around the world can share in this project and truly unite in solidarity and prayer with the Palestinian families. Through the generosity of friends these Palestinian children will be able to know the joy of Christmas.

All gifts are purchased locally from merchants, creating jobs for people in the Holy Land.
Children of every denomination and faith receive gifts in celebration of our unity.
Jesus Loves the Children is an ideal project for church groups, schools, and individuals. Each $10 donation will ensure that a child in Palestine will receive a gift at Christmas.
Church school classes and parish groups can celebrate Christmas all year by designating their offerings or sponsoring a fund-raising activity for the Jesus Loves the Children program.

The purest joy comes from seeing joy and hope in the heart of a child. Likewise, the most poignant sorrow comes from seeing a child suffer without hope for a better future.

Help the children of Palestine celebrate the birth of Jesus with your gift to HCEF. In this simple but direct way you can show each child that you value their human dignity and human rights as children of God. Your gift renews their faith and hope, by letting them know that Christians around the world love them and pray for them, who are witnesses of Christ’s light in the very land in Palestine where He was born.