***Still image from The 21, a short film honoring the Coptic martyrs. Learn more about the project here:*** ***21martyrsfilm.com***

Brothers and Sisters,

We have a humanitarian crisis on our hands in Middle Tennessee. But it is also an amazing opportunity for our churches to serve. There are over 1,500 Egyptian men who have recently fled from Egypt and made their way to the Nashville area. They are asylum seekers, fleeing for what they believe and will not deny. Many of these Egyptian Coptic Christians will live on the streets this winter if we do not act fast.

We are coordinating with Tennessee Resettlement Aid and the Coptic Churches in the area to provide donations this fall before it gets cold. Please reach out to your congregations, small groups, and youth groups to call for help with this pressing need.

1) Clothing: Critical cold weather items: coats, sleeping bags, socks, blankets.
2) Food: Bags of basmati rice, cooking oil, salt, tea, bread, and canned vegetables.
3) Shelter: Ask your churches if they can provide cold-weather shelter in their gyms this winter. Ask if people would be willing to share their basement apartments, bonus rooms, and RVs just for this winter and just for one Egyptian man.

The Egyptian Coptic Christians have survived over 1200 years under Muslim rule, and they have persevered. Please be in prayer about how your church can be the body of Christ this holiday season.

Remember the words of James:
Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. - James 2:15-17

If there are churches that want to help in any way, please contact me for coordination.

--
Brett Boesch
Connections Strategist
bboesch@nashvillebaptists.com