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Ncilienibei7Decernber 1968 X - Volume - VII, Numbe R 6
Ncilienibei7Decernber 1968 X - Volume - VII, Numbe R 6
Ncilienibei7Decernber 1968
•••Volume.VII,
X Numbe
r 6
"Let the children come to me,
anckdo ,,eor hinder them;
such belongs the kingdom of God."
--Luke 18:16
ABOVE: The Jordan Adventist Welfare Society Orphanage, now being. (II
veloped near Amman, will aid refugee children. LEFT : Sligo MV Society-
Columbia Union College Student Missionary Ellen Lorenz supervised the ou
patient clinic treatment room at The Adventist Hospital, Benghazi, Libya, la.
summer. BELOW: Mother Erna Kruger and her little flock live at TF
Matariah Mercy Home near Cairo.
MESSAGE from the
Noversabcs-Decemfiaz 1966
Volume XVII, Number 6
ADMINISTRATION
STAFF
IRAQ:, Stubs MAH•ro, Pre,ident: Bastes Rum°, Secreiary•Treasureir Sadoun * Our editorial appreciation goes to the management and employee
A112/2/1, blidhal Street, Baghdad (Post Office Boa 2077, Baghdad,
Phone: 84971).
staff of Middle East Press for bringing all of their printing talents into
play for the production of this color number.
JORDAN: WILLARD ) CLEMONS, President/See/MD pTiramper, Jabal Amman,
Amman, Jordan (Post Office Box 2404, Jabal Amman, Amman, Jordan,
Phone 25545)
Our second prime purpose (we didn't forget) is to wish you and
yours a happy Christmas holiday and a New Year full of Heaven's best
LEBANON CHAFIG SROUR, President; MINAS MTGURDITGNIAN, Secretary-
Treasurer; Rue Mat Elias, Mouseitbeh, Beirut (Post Office Box 5715, Beim, blessings! And thank you for your gift of love to the Middle East!
Phone: 247706).
Levu: The Adventist Hospital, Ring Road, Benghazi (Post Office Box 240,
Benghazi; Phone: 6481).
BY FRED.ERICK C. WEBSTER
President, Middle East Division
Your Christmas 13th .Sabbath over- candidates wouldn't be worth the paper its new building last January. It is no
flow offering for the Middle East will they're printed on. idle boast to declare that The Adventist
be cut three ways. You are therefore A new gymnasium will not only serve Hospital is the nation's finest. Members
Pastor Jon Green and other Bengahzi Adventist Church members visit
the site of the proposed two-room school and auditorium.
justified in asking if the slices will be the students and faculty of Middle East
too thin to mean anything really sig- College, it will also be a great blessing
nificant. to the leaders of the Middle East Di-
To get the answer, let's swing around vision, the Lebanon Section, and The
the Middle East Division, visiting the College Park Church, all of whom have
places and institutions designated to long prayed for the day when they
receive this 1968 Christmas overflow. could program great rallies, evangelistic
We begin at Middle East College, meetings, and other special church ser-
Beirut, Lebanon, where young people vices in a hall large enough to seat
from nations north, south, east, and everybody who would like to come.
west are securing a total Christian edu- MEC's new gymnasium-auditorium will
cation at the crossroads of the world. do just that—thus fulfilling a spiritual
Members of the college board of purpose as well as meeting physical and
management and administrative officials social needs.
have long realized, however, that there This is a big project for the church
is a glaring incomplete on MEC's in- in the Middle East. It is not surprising
stitutional report card : an adequate then that the MEC gymnasium-auditor-
gymnasium for physical education. ium will get the biggest slice of the of the royal family and government A q,
Well, why not teach "PE" in the Christmas pie our Sabbath school mem- circles think so. They come regularly Th1
great outdoors? bers everywhere are going to serve on for medical check-ups. They and thou- Mida
MEC does just that. But, believe it December 21. sands of Libya's indigenous poor get
or not, there are days on end—even Another educational project whose the same kind of care—the only kind of
weeks—when the late fall, winter, and success will be determined to a great care Adventist Hospital personnel know
early spring weather in Lebanon is too extent by the size of its share of the how to give: the very best.
wet for even ducks to do wing flaps Christmas 13th Sabbath overflow is the These thousands who visit the hos-
outside. development of an elementary-junior pital every year are Muslims. To be a
Rainy weather isn't really the most academy institution in Benghazi, Libya. Libyan is to be a Muslim. We have
important reason why MEC needs a Actually not a new idea at all, an not one Adventist Libyan—yet. All
gymnasium. To maintain its standing enlarged school for children is part of SDAs now working at the hospital are
November-December 1968 The Middle East Messenger
Don't Forget
BY L. CURTIS MILLER
I can't get the picture of them out of my mind—but then I really don't want
to. I want the memory of them to stir me—and anyone who will listen to me—to
do something about their plight.
Them are the refugees and orphan victims of the Six-Day War of June
1967. This lightning-fast clash of armies broke family circles by death, leaving
thousands of children—innocent children—homeless. It's always the innocent
children who have to suffer when political intrigues created by adults lead to war.
Here are some actual pictures of the Middle East today. The bombed-out
Allenby Bridge sprawls grotesquely across the River Jordan. Refugees pick their
way along the catwalks. They carry their meager possessions in their arms as
they flee to the East Bank. But they will not find homes to live in. One man
wades the muddy waters on foot. He carries a tiny little girl under each arm.
Their home in Palestine was gone when the bombs and shells stopped falling.
A ragged, barefoot boy—only three years old—stands forlornly in a barren
field in the valley of the Jordan. He stands there because he has no place to go.
Another waif has all but given up hope : he sits in utter dejection on the rocky
ground.
The stark reality of the ruthlessness of war burns into my mind as I see the
picture of a five-year-old girl in an overcrowded hospital ward. Her face and
right arm are a mass of napalm-seared flesh. Indeed, the innocent children suffer.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Middle East hasn't been standing
by in idleness. Drive through Jordan today and you'll probably see in one place
or another a blue tent with white stenciling which says in Arabic : "A gift from
your friends the Seventh-day Adventists." We pass out clothing and blankets,
shoes and cheese. But there isn't enough to go around. Here's a girl of 12 who
represents her family of seven. She's holding two blankets—that's all they get.
And it's already plenty cold in the ancient hills of Moab, Edom, and Gilead.
I can tell you more: Like the story of the women who do their cooking over
an open fire in a refugee camp. (How many people will be fed from that small
pot?) Like the story of the men who sit in the dust as outcasts, rejects—material
for the human scrapheap. They have nothing to do.
And the children, of course. They are everywhere shooting marbles on the
hard ground or pushing little sticks of wood in the mud puddles that decorate a
refugee camp.
No, I can't forget these helpless, hungry children. Winter has arrived. The
time of the great religious feasts is close at hand : Ramadan and Fitr for the
Muslims, Christmas for the Christians. But these thousands of Jordanian children
wcn't get any holiday gifts to dazzle their eyes. Eighteen months have passed
since the Six-Day War—and with the passage of time the world (and the-c hurch
too, maybe) tends to forget about the orphans of Jordan. How can these kids
have Christmas without a home? Without food and clothes and a bed of their
own? That's right, they can't—unless. Unless you and I do something about it!
Well, what can we do? We can give—give a generous Christmas 13th
Sabbath overflow offering to build a new orphanage in Jordan where some of
these children will finally find a home—an Adventist home. We can give a
generous Christmas 13th Sabbath overflow offering to build a new orphanage in
Jordan where some of these children will finally find nourishing food and decent
clothing, where they'll find the warmth, love and security that was snatched from
their young lives by a vicious war.
You and I have received much from our Father God. His Son Jesus Christ
lived and died and yet lives for you and me. His Heart of love goes out to the
orphans of Jordan who wait in meekness for us to do for them what He would
do if He were in the Holy Land today.
As you and I think again upon the gift of the Saviour, let us not forget the
children of whom He said, " `... as you did it to one of the least of these ... ,
you did it to me.' "
iJie.righteous . . . grow
Construction of the new orphanage in Jordan goes forward in faith of a big Christmas
13th Sabbath offering!
"From the wilderness ... as far as . . the river Euphrates, all the 'mid to the
Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your.territory." ,foshmet 1:4.
E...GIVE,
Michael Habib and, Moses Elmad-
jian and their MEC sChoOhnates .
need' a gyrrinasiiim for, recreation.
Make .their dream tome true
Technician Bishara Aziz and Dr. Rob Johnson =examine a Berighazi.Athentist Hospital
patient who has tuberculosis of the spine. The blue marks on the man's back indicate
previous witch doctor treatment.
,gejzaeolzt
YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!
We couldn't afford to send a copy of this Christmas issue of The Middle
East Messenger to every worker and member. But we do want you to get maxi-
mum use from this appeal pull-out section (pages X-1—X-4).
First, present Pastor Curtis Miller's stirring article, "Don't Forget the Child-
ren," as a Sabbath school mission feature.
Second, give the short editorial above a bit of time during the worship hour
on the Sabbath just before you gather in your Christmas 13th Sabbath overflow
offering for the Middle East.
Third, open the full-color centerspread before your congregation or Sabbath
school, inviting the members to look at it closely on the bulletin board where you
will give it a prominent position.
With your kind help, at least part of The Messenger will reach many of our
good people around the world!
—R. L. F.
from other countries : Egypt, Lebanon, ready attend. We have applications in The Middle East Messenger
Jordan, Iraq, The Philippines, Korea, hand from European families." November-December 1968
and, of course, the United States. Meanwhile, as a stopgap measure, Page 7
Direct evangelizing of Muslims is Benghazi Adventists have set up a large
strictly proscribed in Libya, but Ad- pre-fab, two-room elementary building
ventists can certainly answer questions to serve until the permanent structure
when they are asked. We need to is opened in the future.
present to the people all kinds of op- The auditorium of the new school,
FENN portunities for asking questions. An states Pastor Green, will serve the Ad- some 4,000 trees. Our goal is to care
elementary-junior academy educational ventists in Benghzi as their Sabbath for 50 children—boys and girls. Our
institution would make an important house of worship. "It will function on constitution declares our willingness to
Sundays as an open community church accept children right from birth if that
—with SDAs conducting the services." is what's necessary. Actually, we will
Benghazi Adventists, an international probably start with pre-school children.
group, are far from discouraged. They After we get our bus we'll begin to take
are, however, certainly challenged. And older ones who will be transported daily
they want you to know that their goal to our school in Amman.
is to make their international group "The children will attend Bible clas-
national too. That simply means the ses and worship services—all of the
addition of Libyan Seventh-day Adven- phases of training which we are accus-
tists. tomed to giving to our own young
The remaining portion of your Chris- people.
tmas 13th Sabbath overflow offering for "Jordan's government leaders are
the Middle East is the smallest. But it very much in favor of-this great project.
may well be the portion which does the When we presented it to them, they
most in the least time to spearhead Ad- expressed great happiness with it. We
ventist influence in Jordan. applied for the paving of the entrance
In faith that Sabbath school members road and the government took care of
around the world are going to give a it for us."
The day before this picture was taken, these Matariah Mercy Home children
returned from a fine camp on the shores of the Mediteranean Sea.
contribution. Church leaders responsible
for the development of this project be- record-shattering overflow offering, But will a little orphanage near
leive that many influential middle and Jordan Section leade:-s began plans and Amman really win souls? Yes, indeed!
upper-class Libyans would be only too actual work on a new orphanage over The Matariah Mercy Home near Cairo
happy to enroll their English-speaking a year ago—right after the tragic Six- proves it. Opened in 1947 and directed
children in the Adventist school. Day War of June 1967 raged through by Mrs. Erna Kruger, a veteran of 36
the Holy Land. years' service in Egypt, this orphanage
Says Benghazi Church Pastor Jon Pastor Mousa Azar, named director lists over 120 graduates. What have
Green, "My dream is to see our school of the new home for homeless children, some of them gone on to do?
include Libyan children, for here is a tells the story : Answers Mother Kruger : "We have
kind of evangelism which would be per- "The 33,000-square-meter site is very a minister at The Cairo Center Church,
mitted. Our own national children al- proper for an orphanage. It has on it an accountant out at Gabal Asfar
Page 8 The Middle East Messenger November-December 1968
School. Two former residents now in up in our schools. He asked for bap- other plan to make a living. He tried
America have Ph.D. degrees. We have tism and joined the church. So all his to emigrate to Australia. He was ac-
a half-dozen nurses around in the life he has been an Adventist. Nabil cepted—but after a month his accept-
world. hoped to go to Middle East College, ance was withdrawn without any reason
Another appeal for your support of but the door was closed for many years. being given.
Adventist orphanage work in the Mid- He was called into the army, but he "These disappointments came rather
dle East comes from Mrs. Habib Ghali, had a car accident so the army sent him close together—the pathway to college
vivacious wife of the president of the home. He found a job and went to blocked, emigration blocked, plus the
Egypt Section. She tells about Nabil work. When the employer found out fact that he couldn't find work—not
Mansour, one of the older members of that Nabil's school certificate from even in the mission : he lacked a college
the Mercy Home family : Gabal As far was not recognized by the education !
"Nabil first came as a little boy into government, he lowered his salary by
"He struggled on with his low-paying
the orphanage and, of course, he grew more than half. He had to work out some
job. One day while going to his office
in this frustrated state, Nabil suddenly
felt great pain in his back. With this
First Student Missionaries came a very bad headache. He scream-
ed for the bus to stop, but nobody help-
Comment on Summer Experiences ed. Nabil continued screaming and pull-
Ellen Lorenz, 21, Detroit, Michi- ing on his shirt from the pain.
gan, a nursing senior at Columbia "The next stop was the location of
Union College, comments his office. Climbing up the steps, he
On being chosen student mission- had another great pain in his head. He
ary: "I was simply flabbergasted !" fell unconscious at the last step. He
On her work at The Adventist was taken to a hospital in an ambulance.
Hospital, Benghazi: "Besides giving "We at the mission heard the news,
approximately 5,000 shots, I changed so my husband and I hurried to the
an uncounted number of dressings. hospital where we found him in coma.
I helped out with Vacation Story He remained in coma for 22 days.
Hour and Sabbath school. "Nabil has one brother, but no father,
On the Libyan people: "It is said no mother. The brother left his own
that little things make them happy office work for 20 days to stay with
and little things make them mad— Nabil in the hospital, losing his salary
and that's just how it is." for those days, of course.
On witnessing in the Middle East: "The diagnosis : cerebral hemorrhage.
"You have to witness by being in- He remained in the hospital for two
terested, by smiling, by giving them months. Then he was transferred to an
Gordon Pifher, 21, Paris, Ontario, an intangible feeling that you care." army hospital because he had been a
a theology senior at Atlantic Union On future mission service: "I'd soldier. He stayed at the army hospital
College, comments like to say yes, but certainly not 15 days.
On being chosen student mission- single!" "About this time an American neuro-
ary: "When they called my name, surgeon visited Cairo. Nabil asked for
it was a real surprise!" brain surgery saying 'If God wants me
On his work in the Middle East: to live, I will make it.'
"Camps! Camp meeting in Iran—the "Nabil is much closer to God than
best I've attended anywhere. Junior he has ever been before. He had not
camp pastor in Iran and Egypt. More been completely faithful in Sabbath ob-
junior and senior camps in Turkey servance: all of the places he had been
and Lebanon. Egypt gave me a real emjoyed required him to work on Sab-
thrill. Pastor Mikhail Fahmi, who bath. Since the time of the accident,
taught the baptismal class, and I Nabil says, 'I reaped what I sowed. Be-
saw 17 of our junior campers bap- cause I wasn't faithful to God, He had
tized." to bring me close to Him the hard way.'
On camp life: 'The food was "I would like to say that three doctors
good, but it didn't always agree with stated their fears Nabil would not live
me!" more than three days after the cerebral
On communication: "Expressions hemorrhage occurred. But we all fasted
like 'Be quiet! Go to sleep! Atten- and prayed. I'm sure Nabil's life was
tion!' are more useful to a camp spared through the fervent prayer of
worker than greetings. I tried to learn the church.
them in Farsi, Arabic, Armenian, and "Nabil is not completely well yet.
Turkish." One leg and one arm are partially pera-
On pot-smoking collegians: "If lyzed. But he is improving slowly,
they had a God-hope they wouldn't steadily. He can walk, he can move his
need it." arms, he plays, he exercies, he studies,
November-December 1968 The Middle East Messenger Page 9
--Luke 13:29