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Friends United
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March/April 2007
Invite FUM to Your Next Meeting
Resources and Updates at www.fum.org
Ramallah Friends Schools is on the Go!
Jamaica Focus of 2007 VBS Project
Coming in May/June Quaker Life
Karibu! A New Blog for Turkana Friends
Invite
FUM to Your Next Meeting
By Katie Terrell
“I expected this presentation to be really boring but it wasn’t.”
Over and over, we received the same comment following the Wilmington Mini-Yearly Meeting banquet on February 9. Trish and I were asked to be the main speakers and to present to the more than 100 attendees on a frigid Friday night what Friends United Meeting is doing in the world today. It was a timely presentation with our General Board making history meeting in Africa for the first time that very same day.
Our presentation focused on the four priorities at FUM: evangelism, global partnerships, leadership training and communication (no wonder people thought it was going to be boring— right?!). With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation (pretty pictures on a projector screen for those not familiar with computers) we were able to show and tell how FUM fulfills Christ’s call for us to be “living stones.” (1 Peter 2:5)
FUM has field staff, schools, hospitals and work teams in Kenya, Belize, Cuba and Ramallah. In our presentation, we showed pictures of these locations, the staff who work there and the buildings they work in. We were able to update Wilmington Yearly Meeting Friends on the latest projects in these areas and FUM’s vision for the future. As an added bonus, we showed photos of the staff right here in Richmond, Indiana and bragged just a little about how much fun we have working together.
We also shared our enthusiasm regarding Quaker Life magazine and Friends United Press, both of which allow us to reach out to f/Friends around the world with the message of Christ’s love. We provided samples of the magazine and had books for sale, including our two latest reprints: Fresh Winds of the Spirit by Alan Kolp and Howard Thurman: The Mystic as Prophet by Luther Smith, Jr. (that’s my marketing plug). The presentation concluded with a time for questions and informal conversation. I think I speak for everyone when I say it was a blessed evening.
Are you looking for a program for one of your events? If you are interested in a non-boring presentation to inform your meeting or organization about Friends United Meeting, please contact us by email or phone (765)962-7573.
Katie Terrell is Marketing Associate for Quaker Life and Friends United Press.
Resources and Updates at www.fum.org
Access FUM resources and communications online—
• NEW Friends United Press shopping cart coming spring 2007
• Recent Field Staff newsletters
• Current Ramallah Friends School newsletter
• FOCUS—bulletin insert/table flyer
• Registration for Chain of Prayer event
• Read weekly devotions and prayer requests
• Read Global Ministries and Field Staff blogs
• Find out about future work team/camps
• Subscribe to Quaker Life magazine
• Make donations to Friends United Meeting
Ramallah
Friends Schools is on the Go!
In early January, John Hishmeh, eighteen students and two other teachers traveled to Qatar for the long awaited Model United Nations, hosted by the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. Having spent months preparing for this trip, the excitement was high! You would have been proud of the RFS students as they debated with student delegates from other countries on many global issues such as Darfur, Iran, North Korea, human trafficking laws, global terrorism, Iraq and more! They were professional and sharp. Some of the other countries represented were Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Greece, India, Israel, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Syria, Thailand and Turkey.
The RFS Values Awareness Week, organized by John Hishmeh, again proved valuable in raising students’ values of respect, service and empathy.
The 10th graders’ online magazine, www.lifebehindthewall.org, is becoming an international hit with over 30 schools involved so far. It is being translated in Spanish and soon to Italian! Also, check out the schools new website design at www.palfriends.org.
The Christmas parties at the Lower School (FGS) were refreshing as our 620 girls and boys participated in week-long events of celebration, song and service. Students raised over $4,000 through donations and selling their baked goods, and as a result over 300 needy families were assisted. The Upper School students were equally busy with many activities during the first term. Most notably, our soccer teams won all their matches, and our Dabkeh (Palestinian folklore dance) troupe put together a most spectacular, sold-out performance with over 700 spectators.
Jamaica
Focus of 2007 VBS Project
The 2007 focus for the Vacation Bible School (VBS) project will be Jamaica. A VBS curriculum is in process and should be ready in April. It will include the exact project, daily Bible verses, snack ideas, games, and information about the Friends mission work in Jamaica. Watch for more details in the next issue!
Coming
in May/June Quaker Life
Reports from historic session of the combined FUM General Board from North America and Africa, held in Kenya in February 2007!
Karibu!
A New Blog for Turkana Friends
Turkana Friends Mission (northern Kenya) has a new blog at www.turkanafriends.blogspot.com. The first blog was written by Pastor John Moru on Sunday, January 14, 2007. Get all the latest news, reports and updates from Friends in this region of Kenya!