Good things in Jerusalem

An Update from the American Friends of the Diocese of Jerusalem
------------------------------------------

We've shared the wonderful news about 8 classrooms added to Christ School in Nazareth last fall.  Now more schools are adding capacity to begin to address the overwhelming need for Christian education in the region.  Parents trust the Diocese of Jerusalem to instill values and faith in addition to strong academics. They know that a well-educated community will make better choices and improve the chances for peace.  What a gift you've provided!
             Arab Episcopal School in Irbid, Jordan has been praised for its work with blind and low vision students in addition to those with normal sight. Mainstreaming disabled students is a concept
AES Irbid students
suheil and john at VTS
that is receiving slow acceptance in this region, and our school is leading the way.  The school has educated students in K-6, but those with disabilities who complete 6th grade have limited options to continue their studies.  AES recently purchased an adjoining property and plans to build space for both 7th and 8th grade, plus a nursery school.  They hope to eventually expand through 10th grade and include vocational training for the blind.  They need your help with construction costs plus teacher salaries, books and equipment.  They only need $15,000 to cover construction -- a modest investment for a significant and long-lasting resource.
St. Philip's Nablus Nursery School
Nablus nursery school
           
             St. Paul Shefa'Amr in Israel also acquired an adjacent property which they're developing into a school for the disabled.  Their progress is shown at the top of this page.  Even more remarkable, the work is being done with labor, professional expertise and materials sourced locally through inkind donations and community support.  The pride and sense of accomplishment is enormous.  We sometimes think that the region is permanently mired in conflict and dispair.  The St. Pau'ls family is shining example of hope and growth. 
             St. Philip's in Nablus has run a daycare facility for many years with a substantial wait-list.  In an overcrowded city with high unemployment and a large refugee camp, Nablus presents a real opportunity for the church to minister in meaningful ways.  St. Philip's recently announced plans to begin adding an elementary school, one grade at a time.  Children will be able to grow in faith, absorbing lessons of tolerance along with their academic studies.  They'd be grateful for your help with scholarships and teacher salaries.
            Your gifts will have a direct impact on these children's lives.  Bishop Suheil believes that education is the cornerstone to peace in the region, and AFEDJ chose it as our priority for funding for the next two years.  With your help, each of these schools can develop future leadership, stabilize communities and prepare for a sustainable future.  Please support this work now.   

Comments

Hampers said…
Just gone through your blog and found it interesting. It was nice going through your blog. keep on posting.
4/25/2010 12:18 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thoughts on the 'Connecticut 6'

For some weeks, I have had several friends (mostly non-Episcopalians surprisingly) wanting me to voice an opinion on this Connecticut 6 (sounds like a fleabag motel) business. If you are unfamiliar with this fiasco, for lack of a better term, let me describe it as best as I understand it. There is so much spin going on (from both sides I might add) that I have been having trouble discerning fact from fiction. As I understand the situation, the Rt. Rev. Andrew Smith is the Bishop of Connecticut. Well, at least he has a pointy hat, I do not think he is particularly acting like one. Likewise, as I understand, there are Six rectors of churches (at least they have collars, but likewise are not acting like it) that have applied for DEPO oversight (i.e. another Bishop to oversee them.) The best way I know how to describe the hoohah is as follows: The Feloniously Rev. Smith is trying to defrock the Superciliously Reverend Rectors. Darth Smith claims they have abandoned communion and has shadil...
Read more

My board gaming journey, pt. I

Image
     Something a bit different today than my normal reflections. I thought I would delve a little bit more into a topic that is not necessarily theological in nature. I am a real person, and not some ethereal doctor in an ivory tower who gets to smoke a pipe and contemplate the infinite mysteries all day. So, today, I thought I would delve into one of my personal hobbies: board gaming.      Now, do not tune me out because you hear "board gaming" and immediately default in your brain to your brother overturning a table with Monopoly money flying everywhere because the game has gone on for hours and overturning the table was the only option left other than murder. Most people, including myself at one time, thought of board games as those boring or frustrating games that seem stuck in 1952. You know the usual suspects: Clue!, Monopoly, Scrabble, Chess, maybe even more saccharine games like Life or Candy Land, i.e. those games that everyone owned at some p...
Read more

The History of the Football helmet

Image
NCAA.com put out an interesting editorial about the evolution of the football helmet that can be found here . This is in part due in my estimation to the current buzz (one might go so far as to describe it as hysteria) about concussions in contact sports, particularly football. I have always found this an interesting evolution. Long gone are the days of strapping on your leather helmet: In the 50's and 60's, the helmet evolved into, basically becoming a metal then hard plastic version of the leather helmet with the addition of a rudimentary face mask (which was really just a bar at first): Gradually, the helmet's face mask itself began to evolve: Combines with new space age style lightweight plastics and foams, the helmet mask ultimately became a type of full, goalie style face mask (This little number costs just under $1000 to purchase new): Ironically, being a military history major, the football helmet evolution followed the pattern of design that helmets worn...
Read more