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Friends United Meeting |
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October 2003
Friends United Meeting News
World Ministries Updates
Friends Theological College welcomed 19 new first-year students, 4 women and 15 men. Among them is the first married woman student in many years. They enjoyed an exciting retreat and orientation and were the first FTC students to be issued textbooks from the library — a theological reader, a grammar book and a dictionary for the new reading and writing program. Purchased through the generosity of Western Yearly Meeting USFWI, these textbooks will be used for many years, and will make it possible for the college to explore new teaching methods and incorporate more discussion and critical thinking.
Belize Friends Boys School is now co-educational. Although this is only a temporary situation until a teacher for the girls can be hired, Mike and Kay Cain are excited to be able to extend their ministry to teach girls in the area this year. As of the end of August, they had 34 students registered to begin school, many of whom have been eager to begin since mid-summer. Mike and Kay wish to thank all those who hosted them this summer and those who support them with finances and prayers.
Friends United Meeting has now been registered as a denominational religious body by the government of Kenya. FUM has been seeking this approval for some years and at last has achieved this status. This is the important next step in consolidating our relationship as FUM with our member yearly meetings and associated projects in Kenya.
Lord, Please Help Me to Hang On
By Violet Zarou
"Lord, please help me to hang on.
Please do not let me give up.
Help me to remember that like the sun in the morning
You come when it is time."
This prayer was and still is my daily prayer.
On March 3, 2003, we had to move from the Play Center because of a building project UNRWA had planned to start. UNRWA will put up additional classrooms for the Preparatory Girls School and if enough funds are available the project will also include a new Friends Play Center.
But what if the contributions to include a play center weren't enough? God did not let us down. The building project is going according to plan.
One day as I was walking down the hill to the Amari Camp to see the children at the new rented play center, I saw a big sign at the old playground wall of the old play center that said:
UNRWA
A building project of additional
classrooms to the Prep. Girls School
And
A Play Center.
All funds for the project come from U.S. Aid.
This set my mind at ease. No matter what happens now, no matter what problems come our way, we will always have a place where we can keep the Quaker Light shining bright — a place always open to welcome the 50 five-year-old refugee children to a Quaker oasis of Peace.
If all goes well, we might move to the new play center by the end of 2003.
In Memory of Edith Ratcliff
The family of Edith Ratcliff has established a memorial fund at Friends United Meeting to be used as scholarships for leadership training at Friends Theological College in Kaimosi, Kenya.Ê As funds are available scholarship may also be given for nurses training in honor of Edith's medical work. Friends are invited to make donations through FUM. The family will be notified of all memorial gifts.
QUIP Plans Quaker Youth Book
Quaker youth are the future of the Religious Society of Friends. At our last two annual meetings, members of Quakers Uniting in Publications (QUIP), an international trade association of Quaker publishers, booksellers, authors, academics, and webmasters have been moved by the spiritual depth and participation of the young Friends in attendance.
In response, QUIP is celebrating Quaker youth with the forthcoming publication of a book of essays and poems by young Friends (ages 13-18) around the world. Young Friends Experience of Quakerism (working title) will give people of all ages greater access to young Friends' voices from around the world. We hope to attract submissions from young Friends in North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, Africa, Cuba and Mexico — in their native language.
Young Friends in Great Britain have had several writing workshops that incorporate the book themes. If you have adults in your meeting or region who could put together such a workshop, that's even better! It would make a great event to attract youth to a quarterly meeting or as part of a fall retreat.
We are looking forward to submissions from young Friends in your area. For questions or to send submissions, contact Barbara Mays, Friends United Press Editor, 101 Quaker Hill Drive, Richmond, IN 47374; phone her at 765-962-7573; or email barbaram@fum.org.
Send Us Your News and Photos!
Where does Quaker Life get its news? Mostly from monthly meeting newsletters and other items that Friends send to us. If you are not currently sending us your meeting newsletter, put us on the list! If your meeting is doing vital ministry, let us know! We are interested in news of interest to Friends who read Quaker Life, whether it's oriented toward youth, peace, local outreach, evangelism, missions, conferences, meeting anniversaries or Friends' schools and universities.
Good photographs are also in great demand (either snapshots or 300 dpi digital). We would especially like to see photos in the following categories: prayer/people praying, children at play, wheat/corn fields, paths in wooded areas, flowers, etc. If you send a snapshot to us, we will scan it and return it to you promptly.
Send information and photographs to our street address or by email (look on the inside front cover of this magazine). Writer's guidelines and the 2004 theme list are also available on the web at http://www.fum.org/QL/index.html.
Copyright (c) 2003 Friends United Meeting
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