The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund Takes Part in Community Activity

By Susan Schwartz, TMO

The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), the world’s  largest charity dedicated to helping needy children, is familiar to  readers of The Muslim Observer. PCRF recently took part in a ceremony  called “The Festival of Trees” at the Westfield Mall in West Covina,  Ca. The mall is located at 112 Plaza Drive, West Covina, Ca. When  completed the trees will greet visitors on level 2 in front of the  Sears store and next to Golds Gym. In  addition to its visual appeal,  the event is a contest with the winner – determined by the votes of  visitors to the trees – receiving a $1500 prize. Voting will take  place between November 17 and December 24. Non profit community organizations were invited to decorate a bare seven foot Christmas tree.

The  PCRF was welcomed into the event when they contacted the concierge,  and they chose a theme of snowflakes, decorating their tree to  illustrate their mission..

The PCRF selected pictures  of the Middle Eastern children who have been sent to California for  medical treatment under its auspices. These are children who could not  receive optimal medical care in their native country. Their pictures  were secured onto snowflakes before being placed on the tree.

In addition there are small stockings with the words  ‘peace’, ‘joy’, ‘hope’. and ‘dreams” that decorate the tree. PCRF will have at the concierge pamphlets that explain the group’s cancer  project, the first  of its kind in Palestine. The free pamphlets are  titled: “Healing Without Borders”. Given the recent acts of  atrocity against the residents of Gaza, Palestine, the participation  of the PCRF is both appropriate and poignant. In addition to the prize  money and the publicity which will accrue to the PCRF, the visiting  public will be made aware of the presence of Christians in the Holy  Land. The majority of the people who worked on the tree are Muslims, a  fact which serves to emphasize the unity of the two religions. This unity is more important than ever given the state of siege perpetrated by Israel.

Lily Karam, the chapter president of the  Southern California PCRF chapter said: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and our community has come together regardless of  their religious background to decorate the tree.

We are always  together for the sake of the children and needy”. PCRF members  wonder as they look at their tree how many new children’s pictures  will be added next year as a result of Israeli actions.

To  find out more about the tremendous work of the PCRF please access their web site at: _www.pcrf.net_ (http://www.pcrf.net).

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