What was Zaman's excuse for his behavior?

From the text:

Zaman dropped his hands. "I haven't beenpaid in over six months. I'm broke because I've spent my
life's savings on this orphanage. Everything I ever owned or inherited I sold to run this godforsaken
place. You think I don't have family in Pakistan and Iran? I c ould have run like everyone else. But I didn't. I stayed. I stayed because of them." He pointed to the door. "If I deny him one child, he takes
ten. So I let him take one and leave the judging to Allah. I swallow my pride and take his goddamn filthy... dirty money. Then I go to the bazaar and buy food for the children."