Earth is their Bed: Feedback

Assalam u Alaikum wa Rahmatulahi wa Barakatahu (Peace and blessings be upon you)

I must give feedback to the generous beings who stepped forward to join hands in providing a bedding to
ones who have 'Earth as their bed'.  May Allah increase you in your Ikhlaas(purity of intention) and accept this deed, Ameen.

These are opportunities from Allah to cleanse our money, to bring us closer to Him, to fulfill our obligations, to increase our ranks, to purify our hearts and to give us Falah 'Success'.

Alhamdulillah, most deserving of men and women took home the bedding you provided from your hard earned money.  Imagine the comfort of a warm bed in a cold night.  Imagine, a mother's ability to put her sick child in a warm bed when the home has no fire, and there is nothing hot to drink or eat.  Most of these people are Afghan refugees living in mud houses as in the picture below.  They cannot cook, as there is no stove, gas, or other resources to have the fire going.  They hang out at Tandoors where they wait inline for a generous being to donate some bread from the Tandoor.

On a rainy day, we set out hoping in our hearts we will find some women perhaps widows whom we can
hand these beddings to.  A wish that we thought is a far cry since on this cold and rainy day, women usually are not seen on the road sides where we were trying to an keep our eye on.  But to our amazement, down the road, as it was evening already, next to a Tandoor on either side of it were women and children lined up sitting on the floor trying to stay warm together while waiting for someone to come donate some bread...their dinner for that day.

We got to know the people running this small Tandoor, from Kabul themselves, had empathy towards their fellow community living through hard times.  Genuinely kind and looking for every opportunity to assist their welfare.  May Allah reward them immensely.

Waiting and hoping to get a free blanket and a matt.

I wonder this could be my father, my brother....would I still be
looking at him as just one in millions, who is living in abject poverty
or would he have been the one person I cared most about and for whom I would
do everything in my power to make his life a little better.

Yes there are millions.  But we can think of each as a person, a father, a son, a brother.  The numbers do not diminish the fact that it could be I or my loved one sitting on the pavement waiting for hours in cold to be handed a free blanket.  The truth of the matter is, we did nothing to deserve where we were born and in which environment we are raised.  We all all given situations where either we are showing Sabr (patience) like this man, or giving Shukr (thanks) by giving in Allah's name.

Extend whatever you have, no matter how little you think, you can.  That maybe the one thing
that Allah accepts and makes it the sirat (bridge) you walk on towards Falah (Success)

Educate a girl

On the way through the village

Yellow flowers of  'Sarson' (Mustard) are a symbol 

of the village of Bhaer

"Acquire knowledge. It enables its possessor to distinguish right from

wrong; it lights the way to Heaven; it is our friend in the desert, our

society in solitude, our companion when friendless, it guides us to

happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is an ornament amongst friends

and an armour against enemies."

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Project: To fulfill the needs of Primary and Secondary Govt Girls High School Bhera, Haripur District

February 2011, we visited Bhaer a small village in the District of Haripur, North of Islamabad, Pakistan.  Below are some pictures to share the current facility, and the lack of resources that is keeping these young aspiring girls from reaching their potential. You will notice how little is needed to change their plight, to give them hope and the confidence to excel whatever they choose to undertake.

Saba, an outstanding student who has always topped in class.

Humble resources have not been an impediment.

She may drop out of school due to lack of resources like her other four sisters.

Help her achieve her dream of being a teacher.  Her dream costs very little.

Classroom for Grade 1

Not a classroom appropriate for 5-7 year old girls.

Sitting on jute rugs, on a cemented floor, very hard and cold.

Grade 2 class sits out in this verandah on 

the floor, in extremely cold winter mornings, 

rain or shine.

This is due to lack of a classroom.

With $300 this can be enclosed and 

children as young as 7-9 year olds 

wouldn't have to endure harsh weather.

One of few fortunate classrooms that have benches.

Four girls sharing a bench meant for two students.

I did not notice any school bags.

They carried books in plastic shopping bags or in hand.

Condition of available furniture.  Notice the extra 

chipboard top placed between the two chairs to make a bench 

that could be used by three to four girls.

Not enough chairs.  Half the class sits on the jute rugs.

Courtyard of Primary School where children play.

But nothing to play with

2 toilets for 200 students

These are situated in the Primary School,

whereas the toilet in the Middle School

do not have water and girls have to walk

quite aways to come fill up a container

from the tap that you see on the right.

Only due to lack of a water tank.

Staff room + kitchen + meeting room

From this humble setup they served us tea, pakoras and biscuits
beautifully presented.  Their generosity and hospitality was humbling.

Ms. Noreen Niaz, 9th & 10th grade science teacher waiting to commence

classes.  Requesting your help to provide them with Lab equipment.

Lab Equipment cost $400 min, Lab stools, chairs $600

$1000 will ensure that the girls passing exams this month from 8th grade

will be able to continue further education by enrolling in the 9th grade.

Otherwise they will drop out of school.  Meeting this need is our top priority.

Bhera Girls School needs our help.  This program is developed on the idea: Why start new schools and spend on unnecessary overheads, when the existing Government Schools providing a very basic structure can be improved upon to become beacons of knowledge.  We will follow up on this blog by posting a comprehensive list of items needed along with their prices.  

Help educate these girls. Sometimes a reminder helps us to take a good action, one that may be with Allah's Grace a source of Sadiqah Jariya (Continued Charity) when we will have no power to do acts that benefit our beings.

Children: Facing a Bleak Future

Look at this beautiful little angel.  He is an Afghan refugee in the 'Kachi Abadi' in Islamabad

In the cold and rain, no shoes, no warm clothing and a dirty plastic wrap for a toy.

This is where he lives.  'Kachi Abadi' an Afghan refugees settlement with mud houses.

This lovely little red head with green jewelry caught my eye

Eating donated rice at a Tandoor out in the cold: Still smiling

Waiting with her mom at a Tandoor for free bread

After rain, the cold increased: You see how the little one is clad?

Would you help?

These pictures were taken during my last visit in February 2011.  This Kachi Abadi is home to a large number of Afghan refugees settled in Islamabad, Pakistan.  They have settled here for some years now with no improvement in sight, infact with the high inflation it is getting even more and more difficult to make enough to feed their children.  When it rains, the homes get damaged or are washed away.  We build them again from scratch, one of the residents shared.  They cannot cook at home, with no gas, stove or drainage.  They gather at the Tandoors (bread shop) and wait for hours for someone to donate bread or on a lucky day bread with curry.  We got to know more about them, as we distributed beddings from the funds raised for our Bedding program.  There were too many to provide for and too few beds compared to the need.
If you would like to contribute towards helping them please write directly to us at Lubna@LahauteFoundation.org.

Generosity of the Poor

I wondered why the poor share the last morsel they have with anyone around and the rich don't?

I wondered why the hungry will show dignity and will not take more than what they need but the rich will eat anything free as if they have not eaten for days?

While this thought was in my mind, I happened to come across the answer  while listening to a talk on generosity by Hamza Yusuf.  He explained, in Arabic, that the word GENEROSITY takes root from the word COURAGE.  What keeps us from being generous is our FEAR of losing what we have.  It takes courage to overcome that fear and become  generous. 

I see that the poor doesn't FEAR any loss because there is nothing to lose so she has put her trust in Allah for the next meal that she will get.  Her having nothing has given her courage to be generous with the last morsel she has. She believes that where this came from, she will get more.  It reminds me of the Ayah in the Quran where Allah asks us to reflect on the birds, how they leave home in the morning to seek His 'Barakah' (blessings, it is also described as "the greater good" derived from any act), return home with sustenance for that day and trust Allah for the next day's assistance.

A hadith (saying of prophet Mohammad peace and blessings be upon him) says how can you ask from Allah 'Barakah'(blessings) for the next day when He does not ask you for 'Amal' (act) for the next day.  The beauty of all ahadith is the comprehensive message each gives.  Besides numerous different lessons one can learn from this, it  also tells us that we must work for achieving the most in the time we have at hand, the present day, devoid of fear for what is to follow, which in turn will increase your Eimaan (faith) in Allah, relieve any anxiety and fear of loss, making you a courageous and generous human being that has tawakkal Allah (reliance on Allah).

I recall, having the privilege of being in the company of one such generous woman in Northern parts of Pakistan who had lost her family members in the earthquake and was bedridden because of an amputated leg.  

She had visitors one afternoon.  They were her mother and father in law, who had travelled on foot and on bus for several hours from hilly areas to come visit their daughter in law in the hospital.  I was astonished to see that in their age and apparent difficulty in walking , they took such pains to come all the way.  They had a small thermos in hand.  You could tell that is all they could afford but then if I saw someone took such pains for me for whatever they could offer, wouldn't that be more valuable than them offering me a palace?   

While I was introduced to them,  I saw them pouring tea into the cup, they said something to each other in their language as the elderly did not speak in Urdu.  The next thing I know is I am offered that large mug full of tea.  I am told it is very special as it is made from goats milk and since she loves it so much they had got that for her.  'No, no you drink it, they got it for you especially and you need it more' I insisted....I saw in their faces something that said perhaps I think it low and will not think of drinking it.  I agreed to take half a cup, they still wouldn't hear of it and  so I took it.   I found out later since I did not see her drinking much but a couple of sips because they had given me most of what was in the small thermos.   I told them it was very tasty, infact it was tastier than anything I will ever taste in this life.  But how can one enjoy it when the giver is giving so much from the little she has and when you have not showed them anything close to such generosity.

Allah had bestowed great beauty on this woman besides the beauty of her heart, patience, perseverance and her generosity.  You see she could not see how rich she was.  She wore a lovely necklace made of emerald green and purple glass beads.  Upon inquiring, she informed me that she had made this herself for her wedding as this is what they wear as jewelry since gold and silver are unaffordable.  I tell you it looked more gorgeous than a diamond necklace because SHE wore it.  When I was bidding her farewell, her hands went up to take that necklace off to give me as a going away gift.  I was so moved, the words could not be uttered so I just shook my head declining to take it.  When I got up to leave quickly as she stretched her hand out and would not take no for an answer,  her daughter of 7 years ran after me with the necklace insisting 'Khaala tum lai loo' 'yeh tumharai liyai hai!  'Aunt you take it, it is for you' Such generosity was like a rare gem, quite uncommon.  Someone who wore used clothes donated to her, food that was donated, lying in a refugee hospital tent with one leg, and nothing material but this wedding necklace and she is giving it to someone she had met only 4 days ago!  Ofcourse I could not take it, but she has given it to me because that was her intent.  Her intent and generosity of heart is enough to last me the rest of my life.  I shall not forget it and wanted to share it with you.

I think I know now why the poor shower you more with their smiles, with their generosity regardless of what their situation is and how little material wealth they have.  Whenever I am amongst the poor, I feel Allah's abundance and Mercy more than when I am amongst the rich.  I believe it is so because they try to share whatever they have and it is definetly not 'little' as they put it.  They don't see how rich they are and what is the value of what they share.  That in turns tells me that their unawareness is due to their Ikhlaas (purity of intent and purity of heart).  When you become aware of your generosity, it takes away from that Ikhlaas.

A saying of Prophet Mohammad says, being Sakhi (generous) is the best quality.  Subhaan Allah! they have the best quality in abundance.  Help these oppressed people of Ikhlaas(purity of heart and intent) so they may say a Dua in our favor and it may be accepted by Allah.