Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH), located on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, needs your urgent help. Owned and operated by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), it is the main cancer and kidney center serving Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The U.S. Congress committed $25 million in assistance for East Jerusalem hospitals for 2017 – funding that is now under threat of being cut.
Call and Write: White House
Please call the White House hotline (202-456-1111) or write a comment in their comments submissions area to urge them to ensure there is no interruption of assistance for children and others in need of treatment for cancer and additional life-threatening diseases. The hotline is open M-F 9am-4pm ET.
Write: Congress
Write to your senators and representatives to urge them to contact the White House as well. It takes a couple minutes to send a note using our sample letter.
Share
Include this AVH Bulletin Insert in your congregation’s bulletin this Sunday. Print on 8 1/2 x 11 paper and cut in half.
Pray
Prayer of Intercession: Look with mercy, gracious God, upon people everywhere who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death. We remember before you today the Palestinians who come for healing to East Jerusalem hospitals, including the Lutheran hospital on the Mount of Olives. As these hospitals struggle now with keeping their doors open, send your Holy Spirit upon us and all government authorities to provide the support needed for your healing work to continue in Jerusalem; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Give
The ELCA provides ongoing support to Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem through ELCA World Hunger and Lutheran Disaster Response. Give now and your gifts will be used over and above our church’s ongoing, annual support in order to prevent interruptions to the lifesaving, critical care provided to children and other patients.
Contributions to AVH will support the operating budget of the hospital, and thereby help to ensure that patients continue to receive treatment without interruption and continue to receive help with transportation to the hospital, accommodations (especially for Gaza cancer patients often needing to be in Jerusalem for many weeks), food, and psycho-social care. Here is the link to a document with examples of what contributions to AVH will accomplish: Sponsorship Document
Learn
For more background information:
Questions and Answers Sheet About Augusta Victoria Hospital
