Dear Friends,

So I am back in Iraq - just days after my worst relapse since I was last taken into hospital two years ago. Thursday was my worst day probably ever. The amazing news was that my Consultant Neurologist came down to see me at home in Hampshire in the UK, some 50 miles. She was able to give me the treatment and infusion I needed. Whilst she was injecting me in the liver I had another serious brain stem attack so she saw firsthand what was happening. I could not return on Thursday to Iraq as I was supposed to but by Friday afternoon I did manage to leave. I have not had another attack since my consultant came and I have continued on very large amounts of steroids. I must admit that I have returned feeling very unwell but I am improving.

I arrived in Baghdad on Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon was spent at Church with the Danish Embassy staff able to be with us and see the whole church and clinic complex. Today has been another wonderful day with the US Embassy Chapel and Church. Chapel was great, the team are all so wonderful and we have another person who is willing to be a lay leader - he is actually British and goes to Church in the City of London. He is working for the Department of International Development in the Embassy.

Then we had the visit today of President George W Bush, so things have been rather tense, hectic and different today. It did not help that an Iraqi journalist threw both of his shoes at the President, one of the worst possible acts in Arabic culture. Then the highlight of the day: five hours spent at St George’s Church. I always say that when I go away for a while the church always grows. During this time of being away for two weeks it has grown more than ever. We are not talking a bout a few handfuls, but scores and scores of people. We now have over 2000 people and we simply can’t fit people in even though we now have services on Saturdays and Sundays and we can only allow people to come once. It is wonderful to see so many people worshiping the Almighty but I do worry about so many of the other churches being empty. Today the Muslim Minister of the Interior came with all his team and some of the Iraqi Generals.

The Minister told me that this was now the Church that the Government visited and related to because it was the largest Church. Yes there are problems with this rapid development but the Church is simply so amazing and filled with the Spirit of the Living God. The children were so pleased with the bracelets from the Churches in Charlotte and New Jersey. For them it is simply the greatest thing they can have.

The Mothers’ Union are working flat out at preparing for next Saturday’s Christmas Bazaar. This is one of the highlights of the year and it is sure to be wonderful. Church is now so expensive to run at over $65,000 each month. This will sure increase as the medical needs of some of our people are so great. The Lord always provides and will continue to.

So grace, peace and blessings from Baghdad, Andrew

Facebook

Whilst in the USA last weekend the young people in Charlotte led me to join facebook. I had avoided it for so long but have now succumbed. I will not be able to spend much time on it but here is the link anyway.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed&id=617111368

Christmas Appeal 2008

We are still taking orders for our carefully selected range of gifts that will help us transform the lives of those in need. Each gift will be wholly used to provide for a person in Iraq or Israel. Gifts are priced from just $7 (£4.70) and we will acknowledge each purchase with an individually signed certificate of thanks for you to present to your loved ones at Christmas. Below is a list of gift choices:

1. A day for an old person in the Armenian Old People’s Home in Baghdad $13 (£8.70)
2. Provision of medicines for Houssan Clinic, Israel $12 (£8.00)
3. Supplies to cover the cost of a patient visit to the clinic in Baghdad $7 (£4.70)
4. Supplies to cover the cost of a visit to the Dentist in Baghdad $12 (£8.00)
5. Resources to run St George’s Church in Baghdad for a day $702 (£468.60)
6. Provision of food for a family in Baghdad for a month $32 (£21.35)
7. A week’s insulin supplies for Joseph, a young diabetes sufferer in Israel $100 (£66.62)
8. A Christmas Present for a child in Baghdad $12 (£8.00)
9. Running St George’s Church Baghdad for 1 hour $102 (£68.00)
10. Daily school provisions for the children of the Iraqi Human Rights Minister.
The boys must attend a school outside of Iraq for their personal safety $43 (£28.70)
11. Food supplies for an Ethiopian Jew in Israel for one week $28 (£14.50)

Please see our website donations page for more details on how to make one of these special gifts this Christmas:
http://www.frrme.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=3