06.02.10
Dear Friends,
Greetings and Blessings
from Iraq. As the plane started its decent into Baghdad I felt exhilarated. I
landed in an airport under a serious bomb threat. There were very few people in
the airport and nobody was being allowed in. It is 3 miles in the airport
compound to the place where our police and military security usually meet us.
The assistant of the airports director who is a friend took me to join up with
my security. As we drove to my security the exhilaration intensified. I thought
to myself can there be anybody else who is so excited about going to work,
especially in a place surrounded by guns, razor wire, bomb barricades and
explosives. After meeting with our security we embraced warmly and continued to
Baghdad.
Perfect Love
As we drove I was so
aware that I was so excited to be back because I was where G-d wanted me to be.
To be in the will of G-d is nearly always exciting. I thought back to words
that hang in the chapel of my theological College in Cambridge. It said
"He who has called you, will not fail you". I am always aware that He
will not fail me. I have no fear about being here, I have immense joy and the
love of my people who I also love so much. "Perfect love does cast out all
fear". What I have is perfect love.
We went to the International Zone and
collected Jonathan Webb a friend who used to work here, I had not seen him for
7 months. He is here working on the issue of the huge number of orphans. It was
Jonathan who first suggested that we create a clinic in our church compound.
Jonathan will be staying at the Church for a while.
As we arrived at the
church suddenly I was surrounded by so many of these people I love. There were
the usual hugs and kisses and a large number of our churches young people were
here on an activity day as they are on holiday. Here in Baghdad violence has
seriously increased in the run up today in Karbala. Every day this week there
have been large bombings With every blessing,
Andrew White
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