Appeal Letter from Archbishop Hosam and Archbishop Andrew

  

We write this letter with a heavy heart. We are living in unusual times. We have all been shocked by the news and pictures of the carnage in the Holy Land – in Israel, the Gaza Strip and on the West Bank.

The heart-breaking and traumatic scenes we are seeing daily on the news are beyond our imagination and understanding. Thousands dead, tens of thousands injured. As Christians we cannot be anything but appalled at the suffering of our fellow brothers and sisters, and particularly of the children. All these happenings are hard for us to contemplate. We are all on our knees to ask for the Lord’s mercy that a ceasefire can take place soonest and the Holy Land can return to normalcy, and pave the way for just and lasting peace in the Holy Land.

Many of you may not know that the Hong Kong Province has a very close relationship with our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land – through our many pilgrimages to Jerusalem over the years and our support for the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre (JPBC) which provides a very important service to help under-resourced Palestinian children with disabilities. In normal times, the demand for service is already pressing. Now in war time, we can see the needs ever growing, and more accurately snowballing. What they are enduring now is not just physical injuries big and small but also devastation to mind and soul as they are at the scene as family and friends are blown to pieces in front of their very eyes. The psychological damage must be severe and the effects will linger for a lifetime.

Our prayers go to all who are in pain but there is more Hong Kong Anglicans can do for our suffering friends in the Holy Land. There are critical medical services that many of the children with disabilities and their families need in order to survive the trauma and darkness of war. True at such a chaotic time, direct help from Hong Kong may not be possible as the Holy Land is so far away. But Hong Kong parishioners can certainly raise money to ease the suffering now and prepare to do even more when circumstances permit. Because the situation is complex, we have set out in the enclosure some further information for you to understand more about the latest situation in the Holy Land and what Hong Kong can contribute to the work of the JPBC which is becoming even more important and critical for the wellbeing of the Palestinian children now. We hope that with the further information provided, we can explain better the needs of JPBC and how Hong Kong Anglicans can support and help.

St Paul tells us, “Mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15). Now is the pressing time to more urgently live up to this Christian virtue. Hong Kong Anglicans can indeed offer the very modest help to those in need in Gaza and the West Bank. Shine the light upon those living in the darkness and share our sympathy and care for them. With this final note, we appeal to you all to give as generously as possible. God bless you all!