[Diocese of Egypt] The Anglican Church recently started a new prison ministry in Alexandria, on the north coast of Egypt. This new ministry is co-ordinated by Mrs. Nabila Mansour, a member of the St Mark’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral in Alexandria.

There are eight regular volunteers from different denominations. There are also four students from the Alexandria School of Theology joining the prison ministry for the practical component of their training.

The team visit Borg el Arab Prison and Hadra Prison. Borg el Arab is lo-cated 45 kilometres south-west of Alexandria. It is a men only prison, and there are 8 foreigners and 250 Egyptians.
The conditions in which the men live are very poor. The cells are under-ground and have only small windows. Many men share the same rooms and there are no beds, only mattresses on the floor. Skin diseases are common. As most of the Egyptian men are from other areas of Egypt, they receive few visitors and no-one else provides for them except this ministry.

Ministry Activities

• Visiting the prisoners. We listen to them and encourage them, pray with them, sing worship songs and read the Bible together.
• Sending letters to the prisoners
•  Supplying material needs (medicine, food, clothes, blankets, toilet-ries), spiritual (spiritual books and Bibles) and legal support
• Continue to follow up after prisoners after released. For example assisting with finding jobs and spiritual guidance.
• Support prisoners’ families through helping them with material and spiritual needs (school fees and supplies for children, food and clothing, gifts at Easter and Christmas