FACT FINDING MISSION TO THE MIDDLE EAST

From mecc <mecc@cyberia.net.lb>
Date Fri, 30 May 2008 03:35:20 -0700

A fact-finding delegation from the Middle East Fellowship in the USA, led b y
Mr. Robin Wainright, director of the Caltin Foundation in Florida visited
Jordan and Syria, May 17-26, 2008. The mission aimed at studying the Iraqi
refugees¹ situation in the two countries that have hosted a very large
numbers of those refugees.

The visit was organized in cooperation with the Middle East Council of
Churches (MECC) both in Syria and Jordan. Rev. Dr. Nuhad Tohme, MECC
Associate General Secretary, accompanied the delegation in their visits.

In Jordan, the delegation met with Iraqi refugees and learnt about theirsituation. They also met with representatives of local churches, Islamicand humanitarian organizations to discuss ways and means of improvingrefugees' living conditions.

His Excellency Akel Biltaji, The advisor and consultant of His Majesty KingAbdullah II received the delegation. His Excellency gave a comprehensivelecture at the Century Hotel about the History of Jordan and the generalsituation of the region, and a detailed awareness of the peace process inthe region and the role of Jordan in the Peace process, as a moderate andpositive role lead By His Majesty King Abdullah II.

A worship service offered at the Presbyterian Church in Amman was attendedby Iraqi refugees.

In Syria, the delegation met with Christian and Muslim Iraqi refugees andlistened to their stories and the challenges they are facing.

The delegation met with His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim, Patriarc hof the Greek Orthodox of Antioch and with Ms. Colette Khoury, Consultant tothe President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Dr. Bachar Al Assad. They alsoattended a graduation ceremony at the Holy Cross Church in Damascus duringwhich 35 young Iraqi men and women received diplomas for completing theirvocational training in Management Skills. The vocational training programwas implemented jointly by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the MiddleEast Council of Churches.

At the end of the mission, the delegation members committed themselves toadvocate for the cause of the Iraqi refugees in the USA, hoping to be heard .For more information contact: wafa_mecc@go.com.jo

>Middle East Council of Churches
>Office of International Ecumenical Relations
>P.O. Box 5376, Beirut, Lebanon

Guirgis Ibrahim Saleh, General Secretary
mecc@cyberia.net.lb or guirgissaleh@cyberia.net.lb

>1-353-938
>http://www.mec-churches.org/

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