There has always been plenty of water in Cairo. It just doesn't stick around very long. In fact, it is mostly contained within the banks of the River Nile and flows through the city on its way to the Mediterranean, without causing any real problems. The past few days however have been different. All the water has not been in the Nile. It has come from the heavens in torrential fashion flooding the streets, interfering with sports events and even disrupting and temporarily clo

Around 100 family, friends and supporters gathered recently at St Jude's, Ballynafeigh to give thanks and pray for Ronnie and Maggie Briggs as they come to the end of over 40 years of service with CMSI, mostly in the Diocese of Kajiado, Kenya. The evening was hosted by Revd David Palmer, with uplifting music provided by the Kerygma choir, conducted by Mrs Lorna Palmer. Greetings from Bishop Gaddiel Lenini were passed on and other contributors included CMSI Mission Director Je

Sunday 23rd February On my study at home, buried under piles of books and assorted family memorabilia, is a tattered black and white postcard. It is dated 1911. On the reverse is a message from a young soldier to a girl by the name of Kitty. He signs himself Billy. The young soldier was my grandfather and the girl, who was later to become his wife, was my grandmother. The card is from Egypt and on the front is a photo of Alexandria. It was in this maratime city on the Mediter

Friday 21st February The image to the right is part of the Karnak Temple Complex situated just east of the River Nile in Luxor, Upper Egypt. Once upon a time the mighty columns shown in the picture held up the roof. There are 134 in all; more than in Notre Dame Cathedral, or St Peters Basilica in Rome. In pharaonic times people came to worship here. Like the Jews in the Old Testament they had a High Priest who entered the inner sanctuary of the temple and interceeded on behal

Friday 20th February It is hot here - at over 30 degrees each afternoon. The VTC students received a visit from Bishop Hilary today. It is good to see them busy at work across the range of courses on offer. The 40 students in training at the moment on 3 month courses are about to finish, with 40 more ready to start. In March, 70 more will begin on the longer nine-month courses. All these students are divided among the full range of disciplines - vehicle mechanics with driving

These are critical days for South Sudan. Tomorrow (22nd February) is the deadline set for launching the new Government of National Unity. The same characters are once again struggling to work together, but there are signs that intense pressure to bring the six year civil war to an end may be enough to forge a new beginning. In this latest war 400,000 people have been killed, well over one million people have fled as refugees, the land has been laid to waste and hopes dashed.

Above is an image reflecting the view I have each time I leave the offices of Refuge Egypt here in Cairo. Below is another image which features some of the beneficiaries of the programme. The first image, you may conclude, is not particularly arresting. Nor is it colourful, or feature any immediately recognisable Egyptian landmark. Moreover, it was captured a few hours ago on what has probably been the dullest, dampest day since my arrival in Egypt two weeks ago. I have reaso

Tuesday 18th February After much repacking I managed to fit a large full tool box, extension cable and electrical fittings for a generator into my 30kg suitcase allowance and after four flights arrived all intact in Yei. Morris, the Yei VTC manager, met me at the airstrip and it was good to see him! I am happily settled into the diocesan guest house and Mary the cook is taking good care of me! It is hot and dusty but we have had one welcome heavy shower. Walking around the VT

Saturday 15th February Today was market day in Menouf and it was busy; very busy. Menouf is a town some one and a half hours North of Cairo and situated within the Nile Delta; that very fertile region of Egypt where the world's longest river after a journey of more than 4000 miles divides and re-divides into an array of watery fingers which finally reach north into the Mediterranean. The purpose of my journey however was not to test my negotiating skills in a Middle Eastern S

Thursday 13th February Don't be fooled. Egypt may be a desert country but as I discovered upon rising on Tuesday morning, it is not always hot and sunny! I awoke to grey skies, drizzling rain and temperatures little different to those I had left a few days earlier in Northern Ireland. Everything else was as on my previous trips: the jostling crowds of people, the noise, the crazy traffic and of course the Nile nearing the end of its journey to the Mediterranean, having alread

Billy Smyth is preparing to go to Yei Diocese, South Sudan for the latest in his ongoing support of our partners there. We had a chance to catch up with Billy before he leaves and asked him a couple of questions about what is happening in South Sudan and how the Church in Yei is playing its part at the centre of mission.

CMSI Mission Associate Isabelle Prondzynski is based in Nairobi and has alerted us to an urgent prayer request for Kenya and other countries in the Horn of Africa. Isabelle writes, "Kenya is currently suffering from a dreadful plague of locusts. They have not yet reached Nairobi, but have already caused devastation in many other parts of the country. Lucy Irungu (Urban Development Programme Leader), who lived through a previous swarm, said that when the locusts have passed, t

Join the CMSI Staff Team. Part-Time: 20 hours per week Salary: £22,020 (pro rata) CMSI is seeking to appoint an Administration Coordinator to work in our busy Belfast office. Applicants should have experience of working in an office environment, be computer literate, personable, highly motivated and sympathetic to the ethos and aims of CMS Ireland. Job Description [pdf] Person Specification [pdf] CMSI Statement Of Faith To request an application pack, contact CMSI's Perso