Baptists around the world have been showing support for the beleaguered civilians caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hamas.
Baptists around the world have been showing support for the beleaguered civilians caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hamas.
BMS World Mission has given a relief grant of £6,800 to local partner Bethlehem Bible College to help buy emergency aid ”food, blankets, clothes and shelter ”for those suffering.
The assistance will not end there, according to Gordon McBain, BMS regional secretary for the Middle East and North Africa.
He told The Baptist Times, ‘We anticipate giving further support to our partners working in Gaza, as and when they require it, thanks to the encouraging prayerful and financial support we’ve received from British Christians for our relief appeal.’
The Baptist World Alliance (BWA), through its relief and development arm, Baptist World Aid (BWAid), is also helping.
A BWAid Rescue24 team, operated by Hungarian Baptist Aid (HBAid), has been in Cairo, Egypt, since December 31, 2008, providing medical treatment to people who have fled from Gaza.
BWAid made an initial grant of US $10,000 (£6,800) towards the medical relief effort.
The Rescue24 team is to relocate to the Egyptian city of El Arish, which is closer to Gaza, about 40km from the border, to continue the medical work.
HBAid is also planning other relief projects, including a psychosocial program for children in the heavily bombed city of Sderot in southern Israel.
Elsewhere, BibleLands, a Christian agency working in the Middle East, has released £10,000 to support the work of its partners, Al Ahli Hospital, in Gaza.
Tensions have been high in the UK as a result of the conflict, with both pro and anti-Israel demonstrations over the weekend.
Zion Baptist Church in Deeplish, Rochdale was even daubed with anti-Israel graffiti ”Zion means Israel.
But at a united service in Kings Langley on Sunday, Baptists joined Christians from Methodist and Anglican churches to express their concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
More than 900 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli offensive into Gaza began on December 27.
Several Israeli soldiers and some civilians have died at the hands of Hamas militants.
This article appeared originally in The Baptist Times of Great Britain.
