Over the weekend Hawah called Ali in desperation, she said the officials running the Church shelter where she is staying threatened to call the police and have her three children taken from her because one of them was late checking into the shelter in the evening.

Her son was late because he was too embarrassed to let his friends know he was living in a shelter and walked home with them and then circled around to the shelter, which took hours.

Hawah, whose husband is on life support in a rehabilitation center, is a refugee from Libya, she speaks no English and the city welfare department cut its temporary subsidy to for her apartment last week to transfer some money to pay the rehab center.

Hawah was left $150 short of the rent, the landlord locked her out of her apartment with all of her belongings inside. She had to take refuge in a shelter which she says is the “dirtiest place on the earth.” We hope to help her pay her rent on a new apartment.

Ali rushed to the shelter to take her and her children to some other place.

Hawah and her husband Hassan were a comfortable  middle-class family living near Tripoli until the Gaddafi government tried to force their sons into military service. When they fled the country, they lost everything.

They managed to get to a U.N. refugee camp where they spent several years before getting to the United States. The government took their house and money, and they barely escaped with their lives.

Hassan collapsed soon after their arrival – he was a large crane operator in Libya for 14 years  – and was diagnosed with advanced spinal cancer, the doctors say he is not expected to regain consciousness or return home.

Ali contacted other refugee families, and a long time resident of Albany – a truck  driver who has known Ali and his family for many years – offered emergency space in his own home for Hawah and her children, until she can find her own apartment, which we are helping her to do.

He refuses to take any money for housing Hawah’s family.

Over the weekend, I raised nearly all of the $1,800 I am seeking to pay the shortfall in the rent she now needs for one year. It took longer and was harder than I expected, but as of Sunday morning, I have about $1,400 of the $1,800 I was seeking, and several people have told me they sent checks to my post office box, it will take several days to arrive. So I think I have what I need for her.

I thank you all again for your deep generosity and compassion.

We were all immensely relieved to see Hawah get clear of the homeless shelter, which was by every account, a filthy and Dickensian nightmare.

When they threatened to take her children away, she was terrified. It is not clear if the Church shelter had the power to take her children away, but she believed that they could, and they claimed that they could.

The owner of the apartment is on the road four days out of five, and there is comfortable quarters for Hawah and her children for at least a few weeks.  He has  his own private space.

We have a little time to look for the right place, and Hawah is looking for a job.

We are bringing her some groceries Tuesday and  have been invited to see her temporary refuge, she is immensely relieved and is preparing to cook some elaborate meals, which she was not permitted to do in the shelter. She wants to give me some tea and cookies.

So I think I have enough money to take care of her needs and get her into a new apartment. Our only mission here is to make  up the shortfall created when her husband went into rehab. Then we will move along to another case. The refugees are in great need now.

Hawah is strong and resourceful, she can take care of herself, and she knows she needs to.

She just needs some help getting started.

Good for Ali for being there when she desperately need him and finding a place for her to go. Thanks so much for your support. I’m not entirely certain what  Hawah will need, but I think we can help her find a good place to live.