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By Mark Kelly
RICHMOND, Va. (BP) -- Southern Baptist workers in Iraq are excited about the expected
late-August arrival of 46,000 boxes of food packed by Southern Baptist churches this past
spring for hungry families in Iraq.
The workers said they are grateful Southern Baptists cared enough to send a practical
demonstration of God's love to Iraqis who are struggling to put their country back
together.
PHOTO, AUDIO CLIP
"I'm thrilled because I know how much the Iraqi people have suffered," said
Gerald.* "And I also know what their perceptions of Americans are, and of Christians.
"To have something tangible that we can present to a Muslim family, just to say, 'We
love you, God loves you and we want you to have this as a demonstration of that love,' is
very significant."
In April, churches all over the United States began filling 70-pound boxes with rice,
flour, beans, and other food staples. Each box will feed a family of five for about one
month. In June, the boxes arrived at ports in Norfolk, Va., and Houston, Texas, where they
were loaded into containers to be shipped overseas.
Now the boxes have left The Netherlands and are expected to arrive in the Middle East in
late August to be transported overland into Iraq. Southern Baptist volunteers and
"Great Commission" co-workers will place the food boxes directly into the hands
of Iraqi families in September and October.
Collecting 2.4 million pounds of food was a generous demonstration of compassion, said
another worker in Iraq.
"I am very pleased and thankful for the response of Southern Baptists to the crisis
in Iraq," said Donald.* "It makes me proud to be Southern Baptist and for the
heritage we have [that is] continuing on in this great and wonderful opportunity.
"The need for prayer is greater than ever now, as we put something tangible in Iraqi
families' hands and in their homes," he added. "We now need the Lord's presence
so that the message of the gospel can go forth -- from generosity on that side of the
ocean to the hospitality and reception of these Iraqi families -- that they would receive
these boxes and receive the message of Christ as well."
The workers in Iraq ask Southern Baptists to pray with them about several needs:
-- the safety of the food boxes as they transit stormy seas
-- that the boxes will get into the right hands in Iraq
-- for a proper attitude in delivering the food and receptive hearts to receive it
-- for the volunteers who will help distribute the boxes
-- that the gesture would result in a network of relationships that will further God's
kingdom
-- for Jordanian Baptists who are using vacation time and personal money to reach out to
Iraqis
-- for all believers who are and will be serving in dangerous places.
* First names only used for security reasons.
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