Greetings from Fairhaven Vocational School in Alexandria, where Laura and I have just had the delight of meeting with all our friends in the school, have had a nice cup of tea, have had a look around all the work in the classes, am planning to have lunch with our Swedish friends Lena and Sigge, and of course have seen all the work in the newly renovated gym. We are now off to the bank with Mrs Linda and Mona to hand over the Micah68 gift, and all the monies raised by the friends and family of Laura (nee Gill!) & Alistair Smyth given at the time of their wedding celebrations. A tremendous total of 3,000 pounds sterling, which not only renovates the gym, but also helps the building of a new sales outlet, which will help to display all the goods made on site here at the school. A really great day for us and the work of Micah68 amidst a terrible situation here in Egypt, with reports of deaths and injuries in Cairo last night. We are both safe and amongst friends. This morning we had the privilege of leading the morning devotions. Laura and I sang the song ‘Faithful God’ over the staff, and I spoke about the Advent of Jesus, Light in the darkness (Isaiah 9. 2-7) who brings Hope to the hopeless, Faith to the faithless and Love to the loveless. May he be Light to the people of Egypt today.
Author Archives: ianwhite
Kanater Prison Ministry – 2012 target achieved!
Great news as I head for Egypt later today, with the news that the £1,000.00 target for the Kanater Prison Ministry project in Cairo has been achieved! It was really good to be able to transfer the money this morning from the Micah account across to Egypt, via the Egypt Diocese Association who are my agents here in the UK. Big thanks to those who contributed – part of this money was raised at my own church last Thursday at the Katie Campbell Band gig. So I head off to Cairo today to see the work which Micah68 Supporters are so practically helping with. A good start to the day!
Egypt itinerary
Hi Supporters
This just gives you a little bit more information about my next Micah68 trip, this time to Egypt. I will be travelling with Laura Smyth, who will be the first of the Micah Supporters to have travelled with me on a trip – she has been on mission with me before in Highway Projects days, and so will be visiting some old friends when we go up to Alexandria.
Travelling from Birmingham late afternoon next Tuesday (4th), we arrive at some ridiculous time in the dead of night in Cairo. But no problems, as we will be greeted by friends from my agency over there – and anyway, Cairo never sleeps. I hope to for at least a few hours once arriving at the Cathedral Guesthouse in Zamalek, Cairo.
Later that day (ugh!) we are heading by train to Alexandria – to spend a few days visiting the Micah68 Fairhaven project (see project details under Egypt tab), and staying in the school with the residents. Laura will be handing over a significant gift to the Alexandria Fairhaven gym project, which was gathered as part of her wedding celebrations with Alastair this, and Micah68 is topping up the amount. More of this later! We also hope to spend time with Sherin Boulos and her family. I personally support Sherin in her jewellry business.
We return to Cairo to spend time with friends at the Cathedral, and visit the 2nd Micah68 project – Kanater Prison. I am sure this will be a challenging day for us both. I also hope to visit friends in Rubbish City, Cairo during my time – a hugely sobering place to go, which puts most of our daily life in context. I also do some personal support of the Sudanese Refugee project that the Anglican Cathedral host on their site, and I guess I will be coming back with more goods to support their work.
In between these appointments is free time. Who knows what will happen, and who we will meet? I just pray that I will be open to God’s Spirit as he guides me. Also that we will be protected at a volatile time in the country.
As always donations for any of the Micah Projects in Israel/Palestine, Jordan or Egypt are very welcome. Maybe you would want to make a special one-off Christmas gift? I am really grateful to those of you who have taken out standing orders to support me personally in this work. Currently this is raising £1,500 per year, which is brilliant. In 2013 I am targetting doubling that SO income, which would really help in covering the costs of 3 trips a year, publicity & promotion, general admin, UK travel etc. Would you consider taking out a monthly standing order? I know things are tight generally, but consistent money would really help us to plan ahead with the organisation.
If you want to drop in on the Egypt journey, I will be blogging the trip every 2-3 days whilst over there (www.micah6-8.org.uk/blog), and updating the FB page Micah68. Please ‘like’, respond, support, etc. as you want and are able.
Could I ask you especially to think of us, and pray for this mission trip? 24 hours after booking the flights and accommodation things over there got rather volatile, with clashes in the streets of both Cairo and Alexandria following some unhelpful pronouncements by President Morsi in relation to his role and authority. The situation is getting rather worse, with huge crowds in Tahrir Square, and rioting in Alexandria. Yesterday Laura and I heard the news that the Fairhaven school was going to stay closed today (Saturday). Let’s hope it can re-open later this week. We are really praying that we can get to Alexandria midweek, and spend time in the school with friends there – especially as this is the focus of Laura’s trip.
So, an interesting time to be going to both cities….but even more necessary I believe to show support at these times. Many thanks for your thoughts and prayers. God Bless, Ian
Membership number 50100965
A weird thing happened to yesterday – my gym closed. 9 years, 9 months of membership, and due to business restructuring Fitn
ess First decided to close down a quite successful club. (No more said – but I did express my feelings to them in a strong letter!) I was there as it opened, was an original member, and so yesterday I took some time off work to have a final session on the rowing machine, and then be with the staff as they closed it all down at 3.00 pm. A rather emotional moment for them – most of them not too sure what they are going on to, and of course 30th November is not the best time of the year to lose your job. We (the staff & a few members) then headed off for a drink, and as I was writing this late last night I guess a larger group of staff & members had headed into Sheffield for a more serious evening of partying. But not me – the rowing machine did enough! I will miss the gym and that punchbag especially – a good friend of mine over the last few years (!), but actually there is quite a bit else to miss – the routined contact with other people who I have formed a little community with – trainers, front desk, and other members, some who I have chatted with and got to know their names and jobs – and some others who I have just nodded or acknowledged as we have moved around the equipment. As well as keeping my fit, I have seen some of it as my personal escape, and some of it as my small mission field.
So, a weird day which has got me thinking about the importance of being around others, getting to know names, acknowledging people for the small things they offer you, recognising people who come in and out of your life, the ordinariness of routine, and what loss it is when a community is broken down. Maybe something to think about – wherever we are in the world.
So that’s it – Fitness First member 50100965 signing out. OK Pure Gym….here I come!
Getting ready for Egypt……….
Still praying about the situation in Gaza today….a really worrying situation for the region (yet again). Will a ceasefire hold? I really hope so. Peace with Justice, O Lord.
In the meantime, today I am making plans with my excellent agents Travellers Egypt (http://www.travellers-group.com/) for the next Micah68 trip to the region in early December. Yes, it’s Destination Egypt…and an interesting time to be going, this time with one of the Micah Advocates Laura Smyth. More news to follow as the programme develops. In the meantime, a good opportunity for any followers or supporters to drop in on the Egypt projects (hit the Micah Projects tab above!), and drop a bit of cash towards the Kanater Prison ministry. Target still to be reached on a really important project which looks after the practical needs of some Sudanese refugees caught up in the system, and just needing some basic and practical daily support of food, blankets and simple medicines. Maybe an early Christmas gift to give away? It’s all about recognising the needs of humanity really….which links nicely back to the real need for peoples to recognise that on both sides of the current Israel / Palestine conflict. Shalom / Salaam.
