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Sudanese tragedy

An extremely delicate and difficult situation developed in Cairo that quickly led to All Saints’ Cathedral, and other churches in Cairo, becoming involved in welfare and spiritual ministry among the Sudanese community. Many were traumatised after the tragic end in late December to the three months peaceful demonstrations by approximately 3,000 Christian and Muslim Sudanese folk in a park near the UNHCR office in Cairo.

Unfortunately, after lengthy negotiations and apparently reasonable offers of alternative sites for the demonstration, which were rejected by the demonstrators or at least their leaders, the crowd was forcibly evacuated. This is not the place to discuss either the sequence of events or to speculate on the number of fatalities and casualties. Sadly, the unofficial tally continues to grow. There is widespread bereavement at the death of many men, women and children, and great shock at the extent of the suffering the community has experienced.

Many are completely dependent on help from various church assistance programmes, with little or no money, medicine, food or accommodation. A number have been injured physically and many are suffering from severe depression. Some are still in hospital or detention. All are faced with difficult choices concerning their future. Refuge Egypt is offering medical, food, clothing, rental assistance funds, counselling and other services to the many who come to the Cathedral compound seeking help.

One of the positive things that has begun to happen is the healing between tribes and other factions which have in the past divided the Sudanese community in Cairo. There has been a greater degree of co-operation between churches and pastors as they have rallied to assist very needy people.

Please pray for Jim and Elaine, Peter and Emmanuel, the Sudanese pastors, and the Cathedral’s Refuge Egypt refugee assistance programme staff members, as they seek to comfort people and hold out the assurance of God’s love to them. Pray that the Lord will show them how to encourage the Sudanese people to exercise forgiveness and to look with hope towards their future. Pray also for a quick implementation of the Peace Agreement in Southern Sudan and peace in the Darfur region, so that many Sudanese will be encouraged to return and to take their part in rebuilding their war torn and war weary country.

Australians die in bus accident

The second tragedy which impacted on us was the bus accident on 11th January on the Alexandria-Cairo road. Six Australians were killed and 26 were severely injured. A phone call from the Australian Ambassador began an intensive week of ministry for Jim, who visited the injured patients every day and often at night in hospital in Cairo.

The memorial service at the hospital was a particularly precious occasion, which was attended by patients in beds and wheel chairs. Two ladies from the Cathedral led the singing with a viola and flute. It was a very moving time of tears laced with some Ozzie humour. Please pray that the ministry of the Gospel and of counselling and comfort will bear fruit in the lives of those who attended.

Jim felt that all and more that could be done was done for the survivors and their families and friends who soon began to arrive from Australia. He was impressed at the respect he was shown by hospital staff members who came from different faiths. Within a week of the accident all the survivors had recovered sufficiently to be flown to London for further medical examination. Almost all have since returned to Australia.

Cathedral ministry

Now that the focus of our attention has returned to the Cathedral and its multi-faceted ministry, we are concentrating on training people to take more of the leadership in our services and fellowship activities.

Our Sudanese Mothers’ Union ladies have started preparations so that they may receive their membership badges that have been kindly given by the Diocese of Sydney. This group of about twenty ladies meets each Tuesday. Elaine often attends to encourage them and finds that they are a very inspiring and loving group.

We have begun to invite Ambassadors and their staff to attend the Cathedral on the Friday or Sunday nearest to their national day. On the Sunday before Australia Day our ambassador paid tribute to the people of the congregation for their support following the bus accident. He read one of the lessons and provided good prayer points for Australia. Next Sunday we look forward to the attendance of the Ambassador for Sri Lanka, his wife and staff. Pray that these contacts will lead to valuable ministry opportunities.

Preparing to celebrate 20 years

In two years the Cathedral will have been open for twenty years. One facet of our work is the introduction of Operation Renewal, (in Arabic, ‘Nesmat Hayaa Gedidah – A New Breath of Life’), which is a programme to renew the well worn fabric of the Cathedral and, more importantly, to review all the ministries conducted on the compound and to renew/reshape them as required in order to accelerate the progress of the gospel. Please pray that the small steering committee will own this vision and pursue it with godly vigour.

With our loving greetings in the Lord to each of you,

Jim and Elaine Doust

Information on the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa