Jerusalem, 12th June 2021
Your Excellency
Ambassador PAIVI PELTOKOSKI
Representative Office of Finland
Our valued guests
Ladies and Gentlemen,
First, I would like to thank you all for being with us in this special occasion. This inauguration ceremony of the Upper Room Mission is meant to say thank you for everyone who has helped in making the idea of the Upper Room Mission comes true, whether through devoting their expertise, connections, financial support, their time and their prayers for the interest and growth of the URM. We specially would like to thank Maria for believing in our mission and for joining our team from the early beginnings and to thank Bishop Oke for his generous contribution to help in establishing the Upper Room Mission. We also extend our thanks for the URM board members, to the Ensimetri for their valuable partnership and to all the Friends and partners of the Upper Room Mission who have joint us today via ZOOM. We hope we can have them here with us in the near future.
Without you all, we would have not been here today.
The idea of the Upper Room Mission was born in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, where there has been an urgent need to create job opportunities for thousands of young people who have lost their livelihood. It also addresses challenges faced by Christians in the Holy Land – a community living in the shadow of a vicious pandemic, in addition to the harsh economic and political situation that has plagued them for generations.
Simply, the URM aims at achieving the following objectives:
- Empower the youth and marginalized to become self-sustained and maintain decent livelihood.
- Facilitate the access of our youth to job opportunities and to businesses.
- Build bridges and open dialogue between our youth and the local churches and other communities.
- Engage the youth to work together on issues of common interest.Promote interactive learning/capacity building.
The implementation of these activities takes into consideration gender equality and justice and will be
accompanied by spiritual guidance from Rev. Fursan Zumot and other church leaders who will work on strengthening the ecumenical Christian identity of the participants.
In order for us to be successful in our mission and to grow in our ministry and our work, we would like to call upon our friends and partners to serve as advocates and ambassadors for the Upper Room Mission and to accompany us in our journey to maintain and strengthen the Christian presence and witness in the Holy Land.
We would also like to assure you that the Upper Room Mission will be your second home in the Holy Land.
We need your support and most importantly your prayers… God bless you all.
Tony Khashram (KCTJ) – CEO