Rehema peered back in a look of confused curiosity.  “Most children in orphanages have families.”

“Families?  You mean a single parent.”

There was a slight pause before Rehema shook her head.  “Occasionally, yes.  But in many cases, the children have both parents.  Most children are not orphans due to loss of parents, as many are told.  They are orphaned because of poverty.”

“You’re saying most of these children have parents?  Both parents?”

“Not our children.  Ours are true orphans.  Again, I am speaking of the other institutions.  The larger ones.”  Continuing forward, she passed another classroom door with the number 2 painted on it, leaving them uninterrupted and moving to the end of the building and up to an open screened door.  Outside, they could see the younger children playing under the tree perhaps thirty meters away.

“And the abusiveness between the children?”

Rehema peered through the screen, briefly checking on the young ones.  “It is very common in those places.   When damaged children live amongst one another, they have many problems.”

“But not here?”

Rehema shrugged.  “Here only occasionally.  As I said, we are strong here at Rainbow, and we have very strong values and policies.”

“What kind of policies?”

“Who we are to accept,” replied Rehema.

Mona stared, momentarily confused.  “I thought orphanages accepted any child who needed help.”

“Yes.  The larger organizations do, those run by UNICEF and similar organizations.  But we are a private and very particular house.”

“It’s a nice place,” Omar stated, looking up and around the hallway and then back toward the front.  “Do you have enough funding?”

“Oh yes,” said the woman.  “We have much support.  More than enough.”

“From whom?”

“Our foundation.”  Rehema noticed a small scrap of paper on the floor and moved past them to pick it up.  “Lead by Beih Saad.”

Omar and Mona both paused but quickly nodded in approval.

Saad.  As in Mido Saad.  Formally addressed as Beih?

“He runs the foundation?”

“Along with many others.  But he once visited us here.”

Mona raised her eyebrows, attempting to appear impressed.  “And when was that?”

“A few years ago.”  Rehema displayed another proud smile.  “During an exchange.  He spoke with me for several minutes.  He is a very important man.  Wonderful and gentle.  We were honored that he took time from his very busy schedule to come visit us.”

Mona returned an enthusiastic smile and reached out to squeeze the younger woman’s hand.  “You are very fortunate.”

“That was the exchange?” asked Omar.

“Excuse me?”

“You said during an exchange.  That was talking with Beih Saad?”

“No, no.”  The woman shook her head.  “An exchange for the children.”

They both nodded and began to ask another question when Mona stopped.  “I’m sorry?”

“Rehema!”

Someone suddenly called the younger woman from the darkened hallway behind them.  It was the second woman Omar had spotted earlier.

The image of the woman disappeared again, inside a doorway, while Rehema excused herself and hurried away.