Global Care says it is “deeply concerned” by the sudden decision of authorities in Morocco to deport all overseas workers at a Christian orphanage from the country.

The charity fears that the deportation of the 16 workers on Monday will have a “damaging effect” on the children being cared for at the Village of Hope orphanage at Ain Leuh. The children have since been placed into the temporary care of the authorities.

The authorities said the workers had been deported because they had been proselytising. Global Care said no evidence had been shown by the authorities to support their claims.

Although Global Care does not currently support any of the children at Village of Hope, it has had a partnership with the orphanage since its founding 10 years ago.

The ministry is currently supporting 13 children at another hospice in Morocco, Children’s Haven, through its child sponsorship programme. Staff there fear they may be next in line for the same treatment, despite following the Moroccan authorities’ guidelines.

Head of Global Care, John White said he was extremely concerned by this week’s action.

“For over 20 years Global Care has worked in partnership with these orphanages, knowing them to be places where orphaned and abandoned children have received a superb level of care.

“Throughout this period the Moroccan authorities have been fully aware of both homes’ Christian ethos, and the home’s leaders have been fully aware of and sensitive to the Moroccan laws against proselytising.

“The deportation of all the overseas staff and their birth children from Ain Leuh, and the consequent breakdown of the stable family relationships which had developed there, which were of huge benefit to these vulnerable Moroccan children, is a matter of deep regret.

“We call upon the Moroccan authorities to provide evidence for their actions and to re-open dialogue with the care-givers of Ain Leuh in order to resolve this desperately unfortunate situation.”