Foundation for Relief & Reconciliation in the Middle East

UPDATE FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR RELIEF AND RECONCILIATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

office@frrme.org
www.frrme.org
+44 (0) 1730 267 673

PO Box 229, Hampshire, GU32 9DL, UK

No Easter Appeal..

Thursday April 14 2011

Faith Under Fire: The latest book by Andrew White.

For your copy, visit our online shop

Dear friends,

Each year at Easter we usually have an appeal. The response is always very good. When we have needs I have mentioned them and you have provided. Your response has always been amazing.

No Easter Appeal

You may have noticed that for a few months I have not mentioned our needs or sent any appeals. This was deliberate. Last night I was thinking and praying about the next appeal. There are many needs that continue here but the Lord always provides.

I felt very strongly that our Lord was saying to me He will always provide, and he has.

We are family, in this together. G-d speaks to us all and we just need to listen. We know that the Lord will always provide according to his riches in glory. This was the point I knew that our Lord was telling me.

This morning we went to our friends at the nearby Mother Theresa children's home. We so love the children and sisters there. Its residents are seriously disabled, some with no arms and legs. Every month we take support there for them from the Church.

Gwyneth, who was there with us, was very moved by being there and she said to one of the sisters that she wanted to raise funds for them. The sister was very clear they would not allow anybody to raise funds for them. They would accept funds from us but never those that were raised just for them.

Then Sr. Rene said "Our G-d made the whole world, he can and will provide all our needs".

God provides

This to me was a great confirmation of what our Lord was saying. I see people continually asking for funds to do his works. I confess I do not like this. We know that our Lord always gives to those who give to Him.

I will never forget a wonderful West Indian old lady at the church where I was curate. She used to give away so much and say, "It does not matter if you give too much away because G-d always gives you back more".

He sure does. So this year there is no Easter Appeal. As I always say, "The Lord is here and His Spirit is with us".

Blessings from Baghdad my dear friends.

Andrew

Canon Andrew White

Faith Under Fire, the latest book from Andrew White

Andrew White, the dedicated 'Vicar of Baghdad', encounters daily tragedy...

What happened to his faith when a young girl in his congregation died, after much hope and prayer?
Every time he returns to Iraq he may be saying goodbye to his family for the last time. What do they think?
He suffers from MS. How does he remain cheerful despite his physical weakness, and its progression?
What does he say to God, alone in his study, late at night? Looking ahead, can he be optimistic about the future?

Purchase Faith under Fire

Faith Under Fire: The latest book from Canon Andrew White - out now.

Andrew's speaking engagements:

To book Andrew or Peter to speak, please email us at office@frrme.org

or phone us on:

01730 267673

Peter's speaking engagements:

Saturday 16 April.

7.45am

Coombe Bissett village hall, near Salisbury

Sunday April 17

10am

St John's Church, Southbourne

If you'd like to book FRRME Director, Peter Marsden, to speak, please email us at office@frrme.org

or call

01730 267673

Verse of the Week
Psalm 27: 3

"Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident."

Running for Reconciliation: A reflection

On Friday March 25, FRRME Director, Peter Marsden, ran the first ever Jerusalem Marathon to raise funds for our peace efforts.

The run came just a couple of days after a sectarian bomb attack at the city's central bus station killed one woman and injured many.

The attack was a stark reminder of an old conflict and the need for the reconciliation efforts of charities like FRRME.

Following the run, Peter wrote: '"It's not a sprint, it's a marathon."

'As annoying and overused as the expression is, the phrase was on loop in my mind as I set off this morning on the first ever Jerusalem Marathon. This place is seriously hilly; a fact lost on me until someone pointed out that, famously, Christ's main teachings were delivered from mountain-tops...

'The marathon/sprint metaphor also applies to conflict mediation. There's pressure to deliver quick fixes, but the work takes time. Sure, there are moments of clarity; mountain top experiences with great views of the path ahead, and there are also tough times; terrible times, when body and mind, in perfect concert, scream "enough".

'As I ran 26.2 miles around Jerusalem and its environs, the Hebrew, "Yishar Koash" - well done, merged with the more direct Arabic, "Yalla Yalla" - hurry, hurry. This was wonderfully encouraging, both for the run and for hopes of reconciliation.

'We slowly but steadily clocked up the miles towards a predetermined end, but the mile-posts towards reconciliation are less easily definable.

'More significantly, whereas our path was lined with enthusiastic supporters cheering us along, the role of the mediator is a far lonelier one. Meetings are necessarily conducted behind closed doors and below the radar. Few people cheer.

'The road to peace is not a marathon; it's much tougher than that.'

To sponsor Peter, click here.

For further information about FRRME's reconciliation work, click here.

For more information on the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East please visit our website