MINA — Female guides, who were in charge of taking care of lost children, have set great example of dedication and sincerity. Their sympathetic feelings greatly lessened the fear of children lost in the Holy Sites during this year's Haj. When a lost child was brought to the center, the guides did their utmost offering him solace and feeding him. They also played with him, showed him their gentleness and hugged him with their tender and loving arms. Most lost children were brought to the center crying but their tears turned into laughter and joy in a few minutes, thanks to the professional female guides. They helped the child adapt to the center quickly and kept him busy with different stuff like playing and drawing. When a child's parents were found, the guides felt glad but could not hide their sadness because they were saying goodbye to another child. Khloud, 16 years old, is one of the guides who volunteered to work in the center out of her love for children. "I love little children and feel happy when I play with them or read them stories or even dress them as if they were my little brothers and sisters. I get emotionally attached to children really quickly and feel sad when I see them leave us. I spent hours taking care of them and suddenly they leave," she said. The center was run by 21 female guides who worked round-the-clock in two shifts.
