Phil and Brigid Bourne in Cyprus

Both are active in St Helena's Anglican Church, Larnaka, part of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf. Brigid takes Sunday School and is also active in promoting cooperation between English speaking congregations in Larnaka.

You can read more about the work of MECO at their website www.aboutmeco.org

19th March 2008

Greetings at Easter time! In Cyprus we are among the minority celebrating this month, as most churches (Orthodox, Catholic and others) will be celebrating on the last Sunday of April. So our shops are lacking ingredients for Hot Cross buns etc. It will be nice having Mum here this year to help make them as she is much more experienced in such things!
As you may remember, Brigid's mother is with us while her bungalow near Hereford is being redeveloped. We have learnt recently that it is unlikely to be ready for her brother and family to move in until around June, so Mum will probably remain with us for a few more months. Her best birthday present, when she turned 91 last month, was to hear that there are rabbits in her garden. This means that Mum's energetic Jack Russell puppy, currently cared for elsewhere, is needed after all! We have settled into an interesting routine: Each morning she is visited by a Chinese missionary living opposite who wants English speaking practise. Mon - visit to an RC old peoples home to chat and play games; Tues - Brigid doesn't work in the afternoon so tries to do something different with her; Thurs - visit from elderly, deaf, Armenian friend to play scrabble; Fri - an elderly retired nurse from church visits and has become a great friend to her. Each day we attempt to walk somewhere too, and now she is enjoying pottering in our garden, discovering ways to weed standing up etc! And she keeps the GPO here busy with her almost daily letters to and fro.

MECO news

Our leaders are working hard to implement decisions made at executive meetings last November. The new Board will meet next month. They need our prayer support as they grapple with the challenge of regular management needs besides keeping an eye to the unknown future in our changing mission scene.
From April 25-29th we shall be joining colleagues for a Middle East Workers Conference to be held at a centre about 20 minutes away round the coast. It will be good to be updated on issues others face and to receive training together. Reti and a team are busy preparing for this venture and Reti is also planning the next couple of Middle East Experience Teams to be held in Amman, Jordan and Cairo. If you have internet access, be sure to look at the frequently updated website for both MECO and the MEET teams (www.meet-meco.org).
Phil is preparing for an upgrade of the International Services Office computer system in early April. The growing quantity of 'spam' emails, advanced spyware and other computer nasties makes it more and more difficult to keep the system clear and running smoothly. Brigid, who currently receives all general office emails, often has up to100 unwanted and spam emails on a Monday morning!

The Magazine

MECO has now discovered that it is surprisingly more cost effective to post the magazine from Larnaka to individuals rather than in bulk to churches or groups. So if you are not already personally receiving the magazine (which used to be called Crossroads), please be sure to let us know your name and postal address and we will add your name to the list. It now comes freely to those who would like to receive it and contains much more information about what is going on in the Middle East. We hope you will all be glad to have it, though will not put newcomers on the list unless we hear from you.

Church life

Last week our church hosted lunch for the four other churches belonging to the Inter-church group in Larnaka. It was a new venture, which stretched us to the limit. But God gave us ideal weather and the event was deemed a great success and encouragement. A Filipino congregation of house-maids and several Kurdish families from one of the churches meant that we were not purely a western group. The next inter-church event will be a boat trip, including meal, round Larnaka Bay on Sat 7 June.

For particular prayer

We are looking for people - young and more mature folk, to serve particularly in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon: Teachers, Youth Workers, an Editorial Administrator, Fund Raisers and Managers are also required. Most of our work is based in the cities, and today, the majority of our workers live in flats, use computers and email daily, blend into communities living around them, and play a supportive and active role in local church life. Most of our workers really love what they do and where they serve - despite the challenges!
News comes almost daily of Christians being persecuted for their faith somewhere in the world, including the ME. Yesterday we received the gruelling details from a colleague in Sudan who watched her neighbours being severely beaten and their house burnt. They belonged to a Christian NGO and were attacked by an angry mob. Reasons for decisions made by politicians in the West, are sometimes perceived very differently by those in other parts of the world. It can help so much to hear views from those who think differently!

With love, and wishing you much joy this Easter time,

Phil and Brigid