Loaves and Fishes

SPECIAL APPEAL

Feeding the hungry 
From the Sea of Galilee (above) where the miracle of the five loaves and two fish fed five thousand people, we ask if you will help us feed the people of Bethlehem, and the refugees and impoverished Jordanians in Madaba, Jordan. Covid-19 and the neccessary curfews and lockdowns have devasted Bethlehem and the lives of the refugees.

Bethlehem was under curfew from 4 March and isolated, cut off from the thousands of pilgrims and visitors on whom it entirely depends. With borders closed and tourist buses banned until further notice all hotels and restaurants have been empty ever since. Without work there's no money for food and there are no social services. The Nativity Church of Sta Caterina rallied to help the destitute 400 parishioners - elderly, widows and unemployed.  This number has increased as unemployment hit more and more homes and the parish team of priests and volunteers battles to give out vouchers for food, medicines, electricity and water, all recorded and signed for.

In Madaba, just across the Jordan River in Jordan, curfew came at the same time.  We help look after over 100 Iraqi Christian UN refugee families who are “in transit” and not allowed to work. They survive with illegal cash jobs to feed themselves, but with everything in lockdown, even that sustenance went. We are doing our best for them with our 5th Gospel Iraqi volunteers, and making up emergency food boxes to keep families going. The men are picking and packing the boxes ready for the women to organise the distribution from Melad's Christian supermarket. We get the funds out directly to Melad for the team as fast as we can. Please could you help us to keep them going through this crisis, and especially for Christmas?