FW: Standing firm in the face of adversity

UPDATE FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR RELIEF AND RECONCILIATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST PO Box 229 Petersfield GU32 9DL  office@frrme.org www.frrme.org +44 (0) 1730 267 673 Canon Andrew White reports... Standing firm in the face of adversity: Dear Friends,   Thank you very much for your prayers and support following the terrible bomb attack last Sunday.   It has all been very difficult, but we are moving forward and it is a miracle that none of our people were killed.  We know that some were injured, but they will recover.  The amount of damage done to the church and the clinic is very great indeed.  Almost all of our out-buildings were severely damaged, especially the clinic and the bookshop.    We are trying to repair the windows in all the buildings.  We are replacing them with plastic rather than with glass, so that, in future bombings they will not cause such profound damage or injury to the people in their vicinity.  A lot of the new glazing products have arrived today, but we are still having a major problem with people being granted access to the area, so whilst we have some of the repair products, the staff to insert them could not get in.  We hope and pray that they will be allowed in tomorrow.    A major clean-up operation has already begun.  For example, all of the books have been removed from the bookshop and tomorrow the bookshop roof will be repaired.  We have begun repairing the clinic, but much of the equipment is damaged beyond repair.  The fact is we will need in the region of $200,000 in order for all the repairs to take place.    We have already been promised about one quarter of this amount and we are therefore making great progress.  Within two weeks, we know that we will have the total amount needed and we will have fully repaired things.   Thank you very much to everybody who has contributed to this restoration work, and very many thanks to those who have suggested other possible donors.  In particular, it gave us great encouragement that the first funding came from organisations who also bear the name of St George.  This means so much to us.    We ask for your continuing prayers as we continue the restoration work under great difficulty and we pray that next Sunday further churches will hopefully support our restoration appeal.  If you receive these updates, we really ask you to consider seriously whether you could consider us for an appeal this coming Sunday.   We thank you for your help and support.  We give thanks to the Almighty that the church is being restored and we know without doubt that all our needs will be met.   With Grace, Peace and Blessings,   Andrew  P.S. To donate, either by standing order or with a one-off payment, please see the donations page of our website: http://www.frrme.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=3                                                 For more information on the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East please visit our website www.frrme.org