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Editorial
St George’s, Baghdad
A bomb in Baghdad that killed at least 150 people and left more than 600 injured on Sunday 25th October also caused an estimated $200,000 worth of damage to St George’s Anglican church in the city. The vicar of St George’s, Canon Andrew White, said that if the bomb had exploded just a few hours later than it did, glass from the windows would have ripped through the congregation. The bomb also damaged the church’s clinic, bookshop, school rooms and the Mothers’ Union buildings; the St George’s clinic’s interfaith staff provide free medical and dental treatment to people in Iraq, regardless of their religious or ethnic background.
Church of Ireland man, Trevor Killen, who is UK Investment Promotion Advisor based at the British Embassy in Baghdad, has been in touch with the Gazette since the bomb attack. He told us: "I know that many of these people are without even the most basic of medicines, such as aspirin. Even for those who can afford to pay, medical services in Iraq are somewhat haphazard; for the poor, the loss of a clinic like this will be a severe blow."
Canon White has confirmed that none of his parishioners was killed in the attack, although some were injured. "Some people ask us whether days like today make us want to give up. We have seen much of what we have worked for destroyed. We have seen people we love bereaved. But the truth is, it is days like today that remind us why our work in Iraq is absolutely essential," Canon White wrote in a circular email.
As President of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East, Canon White has launched an appeal for his parish church (www. frrme.org), but it is not solely concerned with restoring buildings. He says that St George’s must not only continue to provide a place of worship for Iraqi Christians but must also continue to treat the medical needs of Iraqi civilians, and engage with the senior religious leaders from across the sectarian divides in its ministry of reconciliation.
There can be few places in the world, if any, where Christian ministry is as challenging as in war-torn Baghdad. The scope of St George’s ministry clearly shows that it is furthering Christian mission in committed and inspiring ways.