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How to Survive a World in Crisis (and not grow weary of doing good)

November 8, 2026

Our world feels like it’s being pulled deeper into crisis – climate and ecological destruction, wars, political and community breakdown, social media overload… It can be easy to disengage, to despair of ever being able to make a difference and give up. But now more than ever we need to stay resilient and keep responding to the call of our Christian faith to work for justice, peace, social cohesion and the flourishing of the natural world.

My new book, ‘How to Survive a World in Crisis (and not grow weary of doing good)’, aims to do exactly that: provide us with the tools to build resilience, sustain hope, care for wellbeing, and continue working for justice, reconciliation, and environmental renewal.

I’m super-excited about this book. It was brewing in me for many years before I finally found the courage to sit down and write it.

Now is not the time to give up but to keep going, working for good – rooted in the biblical vision of a renewed creation where justice, peace, and flourishing abound. It has been lovely starting to hear from people who have read it and I hope you too will find it encouraaging and inspiring. Do buy and read!

You can buy it easily online and from the publishers here.

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How can we respond to the war in the Middle East?

March 9, 2026

I’m sure, like me, you are horrified as you watch the war escalating: a war that has every appearance of being ill-thought-through and that is causing suffering to millions of ordinary people.

It is a huge crisis and we understandably feel overwhelmed by our inability to do anything about it. But there *are* some things we can each do so we don’t stand idly by and watch helplessly.

I offer these with humility and as my way of trying to make a small difference in a situation of such darkness.

1. Make every effort to stand for peace and against violence in whatever context, whether at home, work, in your community or nationally. As Christians we worship the Prince of Peace, so reject any narrative that links the Christian faith with militarism, nationalism, exclusion and aggression.

2. Call on the Government to do all it can to press for a de-escalation of the hostilities. Alongside the people of Iran, where something like 3.2 million people have been displaced, two other places facing particularly severe humanitarian needs and escalating violence are Lebanon and Palestine. More than a million people have now been displaced in Lebanon, leaving people with no homes or access to food and the basics. In the West Bank, grassroots organisations warn that the war across the region is creating deadly conditions for Palestinians and enabling a sharp escalation in settler violence that is going largely unnoticed by the international community.

You can email your MP here to urge the Government to act: https://embraceme.org/stop-the-escalation

3. Please give. Local people and organisations across the Middle East are the first to respond. Embrace the Middle East’s partners in Beirut have responded immediately: as the evacuation orders came in, they widened their services to include displaced people who are arriving in large numbers; finding ways to give them food and other practical assistance. But Lebanon is already economically impoverished and they need our help to be able to continue meeting those needs. You can give here: https://embraceme.org/emergency-appeal

4. Let’s pray. We believe that prayer changes situations, and right now we need to pray: for the war to end quickly; for true peace that breaks the cycle of violence; for protection and God’s comfort for all those being impacted; for strength for all those who are responding and for our Christian sisters and brothers seeking to bring light into the darkness. It is good to hear of a number of prayer initiatives taking place, such as this one from the international 24/7 prayer community, and I encourage you to join with others where you can. You can find good prayer resources from Embrace the Middle East here.

And we can all together say this prayer from Christian Aid:

God of peace,

When fear threatens to consume us our hearts, send us your Spirit of power and love.

We pray urgently and unceasingly for peace across the Middle East.

We pray for communities who have been displaced and for families traumatised by bombing.

We hold before you those who need comfort and help, especially those who are injured or bereaved.

Amen

Environment

Climate Justice and Environmental Action – the Christians Tackling Climate Change in the Middle East

July 15, 2025

I stand on the balcony looking out as the sun sets over the horizon. I can see the Dead Sea six miles to my left and, almost straight ahead, over the hills where the sun is turning orange, is Jericho in the West Bank. Swifts wheel overhead, their cries piercing the warm sky. I try to focus on their beautiful call and ignore the persistent low hum of the bus down below, whose driver has frustratingly refused to turn off the ignition, despite us being settled here for a few hours.

As I look down, all around me I see green lush vegetation. Tall trees, bushes, flowers and vegetables, low plants spreading along the ground – it is all in stark contrast to the surrounding area of harsh desert rock. Further out, I can see a few trees but the courtyards of the houses in the village are mostly devoid of greenery, just bare sandy brown.

I’m at the Greening the Desert project in Jordan, a pioneering centre using permaculture principles to reverse desertification, tackle climate change and inspire us to live in harmony with nature. Jordan is a country suffering deeply from desertification and climate change, and from the impacts of decades of abusing the earth, clearing forests, draining wetlands, depleting aquifers, poisoning and overgrazing the land. But the Greening the Desert project offers a different way by which we can interact with the natural world and enable ourselves and nature to thrive together. And from what I can see around me, it works!

View looking out from the Greening the Desert project, Jordan
Looking out from the balcony at the Greening the Desert project in Jordan.

This visit to Greening the Desert is part of a workshop I’m attending on climate justice, biodiversity conservation, and creation care, organised by Act Alliance, and bringing together Christian organisations and churches taking action on the climate and environmental crises we are facing. I am very aware of the climate cost of coming to Amman and so am able to combine it with an overland trip into Israel and the West Bank to meet our Embrace the Middle East partners there.

The Environmental Challenges in the Middle East

The Middle East faces terrible environmental challenges. Many areas, such as Jordan, are literally running out of water, and climate change is meaning less rainfall. Arable lands have been badly managed, leading to decreasing crop production. Air pollution is high and plastic pollution is everywhere. Biodiversity loss is heart-breaking, on the land and in the air and seas, due to climate change and other human activities, and coastal ecosystems are degraded. Exacerbating and weaving through so many of these issues is the ongoing tragedy of conflict.

Environmental action – how Christians are responding

The challenges are immense, but it is inspiring hearing from the 20 or so organisations and church denominations at the conference as they share what they are doing. Many are working on climate programmes with impacted communities, helping them learn how to adapt to new realities as well as change practices to prevent things from getting worse. Some are involved with environmental justice movements, working with young people to respond to damage being done by occupation or conflict, whilst others are engaged theologically with helping churches and theological colleges discover how they can get engaged. One organisation is working to tackle plastic pollution in a particular city, while another is involved with ringing and protecting migratory birds.

Two things are clear throughout the gathering: firstly, that climate justice, social justice, and ecological justice are intrinsically linked and must be tackled together. Secondly, that environmental action is an important part of the Christian faith and we must see it integrated into our understanding of the gospel and discipleship.

Embrace’s Projects – Tackling water shortages in Iraq

At Embrace the Middle East I’m proud that we are bringing these things together in some of the work we support. I was privileged recently to be able to visit villages in the north of Iraq, near the Syrian and Turkish borders. Every Mukhtar (village leader) we spoke with told us their biggest challenge is water and the lack of rain. Into this context Embrace partner, the ecumenical Christian Aid Programme, is running programmes with the young people in the villages, training them to lead campaigns and action on climate change and water conservation, and providing new opportunities for income generation as the crops suffer. One group of villages has benefited from a water tank we were involved in funding.

Newly installed water tower in Iraq
New water tank, built with Embrace funding, to help water shortages for a group of villages in northern Iraq.

Later on, as we drove between cities, it was shocking seeing the amount of plastic strewn everywhere as Iraq has no recycling facilities and using and throwing away plastic is now embedded in society. In response to this, AHC (Ankawa Humanitarian Committee, linked to the Chaldean Catholic church) is working in schools, providing drinking water stations and giving each child a reusable bottle. They are working with the children and young people to raise up environmental leaders, supporting them as they undertake different initiatives.

Embrace’s Projects – Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in Lebanon

Meanwhile, just over 500 miles to the west of Ankawa, in the Akkar region of Lebanon, Embrace is supporting MERATH (Middle East Revive and Thrive), a well-established partner, as they work with a Baptist church on a new ‘Sustainable Agriculture’ project, cultivating previously fallow land owned by the church. The project promotes environmentally friendly farming techniques and produces good quality, organic food that is distributed to vulnerable families struggling to make ends meet. It started as a small pilot project, but each year they have been able to increase their harvest and now it is going from strength to strength. Some of the food produced is now sold and the profits are reinvested to help sustain and build the project. The rest is distributed for free.

Women tending crops at the sustainable agriculture project, Lebanon
The Embrace-funded sustainable agriculture project in Lebanon.

After a difficult start, this project is now thriving and yields are increasing every year. One of those involved in the project said to Embrace’s Programmes & Partnerships Lebanon manager, Sophia recently: ‘I feel this land is an example of something spiritual: we used to be so harmful to the land, but we have reconciled it with what God intended it for. We are reconciling with the land.’

Reconciliation with God. Reconciliation with the land. And reconciliation with each other. This is the vision we work for together. Thank you for being a part of it.

(This post was first published on the Embrace the Middle East website here.)

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10 Things I Want to Say about the Situation in Gaza

June 8, 2025

As the situation shows no signs of getting any better and as opinions and arguments whirr around social media, these are ten things I want to state clearly about the situation in Gaza:

1. Israel’s destruction of Gaza and its killing, maiming and starvation of the population is horrific and absolutely wrong. We must condemn and stand against it in any peaceful way we can. Our Governments (in my case British) must not only speak out strongly but put those words into action that has consequences for Israel. In reality that means suspending all arms sales to Israel.

2. To speak against Israel’s actions is not being anti-Jewish. I am from a Jewish background myself with family killed in the holocaust. I am very aware of the deep dangers of anti-semitism and am clear that speaking against Israel’s current actions is not that.

3. The line between hating Israel’s actions and hating Jews can be thin. We must constantly check ourselves that we are not crossing that line and we must condemn and stand against anti-semitism in any peaceful way we can.

4. Hamas’ attacks on October 7 2023 were barbaric and sadistic. It has left Jews (Israeli and non-Israeli) traumatised. We must not forget the hostages still being held in no-doubt awful conditions. Hamas continues to treat its own people brutally with at least one report of a protester being murdered and delivered to his family in a body bag and it is clear it wants Israel’s destruction.

5. The current situation did not start with October 7. We must see it within the wider context of Israel’s brutal and barbaric treatment of Palestinians since 1948 and the long-term history of anti-semitism that Jewish people have faced.

6. Speaking against Israel’s actions does not imply support for Hamas. It is possible to hold a nuanced position that sees wrong in both sides.

7. Those of us coming from the colonial powers must recognise the terrible role our countries played in establishing this complete mess of a situation and thinking we knew best.

8. Please also respond to the Sudan crisis (eg.https://www.christianaid.org.uk/…/sudan-crisis-appeal ). The reality of other crises does not take away from the emergency situation in Gaza and the need to continue pushing for a full end to the aid blockade and a just ceasefire agreement. See here for an email template you can use to email the British Foreign Secretary, David Lammy: https://embraceme.org/fast-for-gaza

9. The Israeli government has become increasingly more explicit that it is pursuing a goal of full occupation in both Gaza and the West Bank. Its rampant expansionism into the West Bank and its terrible treatment of Palestinian residents is shocking and heartbreaking and we must condemn and stand against it in any peaceful way we can.

10. Violence will only lead to more violence. Israel will never find the security it longs for by bombing, destroying and killing. The only way forward is for a radically different approach from both sides, leading to a peace built on justice and a recognition of the shared humanity of all.

I hope it’s obvious that this is not intended to be a summary of all there is to say. I have learnt that much of the history is contested and interpreted differently. There is so much more that could be said (eg I haven’t touched on the history and continued place of Christians in the area nor explicitly on matters of International Law), but I needed to stop at some point and ten points seems enough. I continue to listen to different perspectives and to learn, but these points were ones that have been sitting with me as I’ve posted, watched the discussions and also continue to be part of a private, curated conversation. I need to say them and get them out of my head.

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My trip to the West Bank: Witnessing Life Under Occupation

May 18, 2025

Do you know where Bethlehem is? Or Jericho or Hebron? They are names so familiar to us from the Bible that they almost sound mythical and it can be a surprise to remember that they are real places today. Even more surprising can be the realisation that they are all in the West Bank – a place we hear about on the news.

I have recently returned from the West Bank, as well as Israel and Jordan, meeting some of Embrace the Middle East’s partners, hearing from them and seeing their work. I have to say, it’s been a challenging and sobering time.

A shattered economy

My first day there, arriving on the bus from Jerusalem with Embrace CEO Jamie Eyre, takes us to Checkpoint 300, where we are dropped off on the West Bank side.

Permit scanners. These check-in devices have to be used by Palestinians if they have travelled outside the West Bank so the Israeli authorities can keep track of their movements.

We walk past the little machines on the wall that Palestinians use when they return to the West Bank from Jerusalem. They have to apply for a special permit to travel outside the West Bank and then check back in when they return so the Israeli authorities can keep track of their movements. 

We walk along a covered concrete corridor, through a turnstile and out into the bright sunshine of Beit Jalal in the Bethlehem governorate, the separation wall that partitions the West Bank from Israel stretching away from us to our right. There we are surrounded by yellow taxis and friendly drivers trying to get our business. Since the start of the war in October ’23, tourism has collapsed, destroying the economy and meaning many families are now struggling to survive and meet their daily needs, not able to afford to pay for education or healthcare. The other big segment of the Palestinian economy – jobs in Israel – vanished overnight when Israel revoked all Palestinian labour permits following the 7 October attack. (Now, workers from Thailand have replaced the Palestinians, and on a Saturday when things close for Shabbat, central Jerusalem is full of the three-wheeled bikes they use, as they get together to enjoy their day off.)

The Separation Barrier, that separates the West Bank from Israel.

It is heart-wrenching when we go to Bethlehem and wander around Manger Square and the Church of the Holy Nativity. It is almost totally deserted. We walk along a street full of closed tourist shops and tour guides beg us to let them show us round, telling us how much they need the money, that they can’t feed their families anymore.

A changing landscape

Over the next few days, as we drive around the area, we notice the massive road-building programme that Israel is undertaking. Jamie, who has been here before, can hardly believe how much is changing – and how quickly. The roads are being built to enable settlers to come and build their housing estates – large blocks of houses you see dotted around the hillsides.

Settler communities are growing alarmingly. They take land that has been in Palestinian families for generations, often violently but rarely facing the consequences. International law is clear: the settlers are there illegally, and yet no one in the international community is doing anything to try to prevent it.   

FIND OUT MORE: Settlers and Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories: A Guide

Newly built, illegal settlements in the West Bank.

I ask one of our partners how to tell the difference between Palestinian and settler homes. Water is the answer. Palestinian homes have huge water containers on their roofs as water supply is intermittent and they need to collect as much as they can, when they can. Israeli settlers are allowed to build houses with their own water supply so don’t need anything on their roofs. Because of this, settler areas are green and lush; Palestinian areas dry and brown.

The roads being built will be for the use of settlers. The Israeli authorities are also building roads that will go around or under settler communities which will be for the use of Palestinians, thus keeping them apart.

Checkpoint and movement restrictions

Not being able to travel freely has become a huge issue for Palestinians in the West Bank and a story of daily frustration. There are now around 850 Israeli ‘movement obstacles’ in the West Bank, a third of which are road gates which are frequently closed. The Israeli authorities use these gates to close a road whenever they want, with no warning, and residents now are part of online communities where people provide constant narratives on when a road closes. A journey you thought was going to take 20 minutes suddenly takes 90.

One partner told us driving from Jenin to Nablus – a distance of just 22 miles – took them five hours because of road closures and long queues at checkpoints. You could feel the frustration in every conversation we had. It was impossible to ignore.

Settler road near Bethlehem.

Pressing on – despite harassment

One day, as we go back to Jerusalem across the checkpoint, going through the usual procedure of passport checking before being allowed back on the bus, we see two young Palestinian men pulled out of the queue. I can see where they get taken and I watch as they are made to stand against a wall, with their arms and legs spread against the wall and their faces pressing into it. They are searched, as are the contents of their bags which are tipped onto the ground. When the young men get back onto the bus, their clothes are dirty, and they wearily dust themselves off before settling back into the rest of their day. We see similarly in Jerusalem too – young Palestinian men randomly pulled aside on the streets by the police and searched.

‘Apartheid’ is a controversial word with a specific technical meaning, and one to be used with care.  But as I hear about and see the systematic and structural segregation, and the harassment and debasement metered out on the Palestinian people, I struggle to find an appropriate alternative. 

It is in this context that Embrace’s partners continue their amazing work: providing healthcare; education for children with disabilities; giving psychosocial support to young people traumatised by the political violence they experience; working with olive farmers who face aggression from settlers when they go into their fields to work their land; training young Christians with leadership potential; and giving legal advice to Palestinians facing discrimination. 

Resistance, resilience and solidarity

Each person we spend time with, drinking coffee and eating falafel, tells us of the psychological toll it takes to keep going in a system deliberately set up to ground you down. We don’t hear anything good said about the Palestinian Authority either. And running through it all is the constant trauma of watching the death and ruthless destruction of their people in Gaza. But in the midst of it all, the work itself is a source of hope: a beacon of light in the darkness. It’s a sign of resistance too, of resilience and a determination not to give in.

Our partners tell us how much our visit means to them. The word ‘solidarity’ is used over and over again, and one person tells us, ‘You have been a powerful source of strength and comfort – more than words can truly express’. Standing with our partners as Embrace the Middle East, through our giving and our prayers, is something we can all do.

(This post was first shared at https://embraceme.org/blog/my-trip-to-the-west-bank)

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Supporting refugees amid a deepening economic crisis in Egypt

November 21, 2024

This is the emergency food bag we give a family when they first arrive at the centre,’ Dr Eman tells us as she shows us around the facilities run by Refuge Egypt in Cairo.

I look at the bag – it contains one bag each of rice, pasta and lentils; a bottle of oil and a carton of black molasses, more nutritious than sugar and high in iron. I try to imagine feeding my family with only those things and how long it would last for.

I’m in Egypt with Jamie Eyre (Embrace the Middle East’s new CEO) and Lana Almualim (our new Programme Manager for Egypt and Iraq). Freshly in role myself, we are all finding our feet in different ways, though of course Jamie feels very at home in Egypt with the work we’re seeing, having been Programmes & Partnerships Director for the past nine years. 

This is my first trip with Embrace the Middle East and I’m excited to meet some of the partners that Embrace works with in Egypt and begin getting a feel for the work we support, thanks to generous supporters like you.

Poverty levels in Egypt are rising sharply

When I think of Egypt I more naturally think of pyramids, pharaohs and all-inclusive beach holidays, but actually between 25-30% of the population live in poverty and the wars in Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine, along with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, have exacerbated the situation. In the past nine months, the Egyptian pound has lost more than 50% of its value against the U.S. dollar, driving food inflation to over 70%. Basic commodities have become unaffordable for many households.

Up to 30 % of families in Egypt live in poverty.

Refugees are particularly vulnerable – arriving in Egypt with nothing

Refuge Egypt is a ministry of the Anglican/Episcopal Diocese of Egypt with North Africa. They support refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers who have fled their countries due to war, disaster, or persecution, providing emergency help when people first arrive, medical and psychosocial care, and help with finding housing and jobs. Over the last eighteen months since the civil war in Sudan started, huge numbers of Sudanese have arrived needing help (no one knows how many – some say half a million, others one or even two million). People arrive at Refuge Egypt’s doors with nothing: often they have fled literally on their way to work or a woman seeing her husband killed in front of her.

Each morning, newcomer refugees begin queuing at Refuge Egypt’s doors as early as 5am. Staff welcome them with breakfast and they sit in the welcoming area in the shade before being registered and assessed for their needs. We’re told that the needs are so great and resources so stretched that Refuge Egypt can only meet about 10% of those who come to them.

How the Christian communities in Egypt are bringing light and love into people’s lives

With Metropolitan Thomas of the Coptic Orthodox Church at the Anafora Retreat Centre

My time in Egypt is too short but I feel immensely privileged to spend time in Cairo and Alexandria, meeting wonderful Christians and churches across the denominational spectrum, serving people in need – children with disabilities; providing healthcare in rural areas; working with women to counteract FGM and domestic violence; serving the vulnerable Zabaleen waste-picker community; providing much-needed schooling; training for jobs, and more….

Through it all, it’s that bag of emergency food that stays with me as a symbol of why Embrace the Middle East exists; as a reminder of the deep needs in Egypt and across the region; as a challenge to me not to take my comfortable life for granted, and as a sign of hope that we can do something: we can support the work that partners like Refuge Egypt are doing and bring love and light into people’s lives.

(This article first appeared here on the Embrace the Middle East website.)