Christians fight to be reunited with orphans in Morocco

Christians fight to be reunited with orphans in Morocco

AIN LEUH, Morocco — Expatriate Christians who ran an orphanage in Morocco until they were deported on charges of proselytism said they will take their fight to be reunited with the children to the Supreme Court if necessary.

In early May, an appellate court delivered a verbal ruling in favor of the Moroccan government, which had deported Village of Hope staff in 2010 as part of a larger purge of Christians from the country. The May 7 ruling by the Administrative Court of Rabat stated that Village of Hope has no legal status to file any claims. Village of Hope seeks to resume operation of the orphanage, near Ain Leuh, 50 miles south of Fez.

The state’s appeal in May came after an October 2012 oral ruling, released in writing in January, stipulating that the association was a legitimate legal entity with the right to seek legal redress of grievances. 

The deportation of the staff members was part of a 2010 purge in which the government rounded up foreign Christians, interrogated them and expelled them with little or no warning. Village of Hope was caring for 33 children when the deportations happened.