The Coordinating Team:


Nancy Lister-Settle, Hunger Action Enabler, Presbytery of Des Moines
Covenant Presbyterian, West Des Moines
First Presbyterian, Dallas Center
First Presbyterian, Dexter
First Presbyterian, Guthrie Center
First Presbyterian, Perry
West Regional Partners
First Presbyterian, Audubon First Presbyterian, Atlantic First Presbyterian, Earlham

February 2008

To our beloved sisters and brothers, our partners in the Presbytery of Des Moines:

We would like to express our happiness and gratitude for our partnership. We appreciate this partnership and look forward to increasing the bonds, developing different channels for fruitful cooperation, and strengthening relations through a variety of activities and interventions which aim at protection of human rights and claiming human rights and combating root
causes of poverty. We are sure such joint activities will increase understanding, respect, and confidence between us while promoting global justice.

In this context, the Board of Together for Family Development Network (TFD) invites its Joining Hands partners in the Presbytery of Des Moines to participate with TFD in a global campaign of Education for All. TFD will continue its campaign for inclusive education for Egyptian children with special focus on children with disability. The Des Moines partners are invited to 1) educate Des Moines congregations about Education for All goals, progress, and implementation mechanisms and 2) join with other civil society organizations in North America to maintain pressure on G8 countries to fulfill their promises to provide the funds that will make Education for All a reality.

In addition, the TFD Board invites the Joining Hands churches in the Presbytery of Des Moines to partner with it in Fair Trade activities which will impact the poverty and exclusion of Egyptian handicraft producers and will raise awareness of American consumers about global economic trade inequities.

In appreciation for your solidarity, accompaniment, and hospitality,

Sincerely yours,

Mrs. Nada Thabet
Chairperson, TFD Board of Directors

Mr. Rafik Nagy,
Vice Chair, TFD Board of Directors

Covenant Statement

We, the members of Joining Hands in the Presbytery of Des Moines with help from our partners in Egypt, covenant to
learn, educate about, and implement ways to fight hunger both in Egypt and where we live through dialogue and exchange. We will actively listen, freely share, and willingly walk in solidarity with each other and with our partners in Egypt.


When sending funds to the Joining Hands country networks, please send the funds to the address below and send a copy of the letter and /or check to the offices in Louisville, KY. You can send the copy to Alfonso Lopez or Eileen Schuhmann. Please indicate the correct H account of the network. This will help us speed the process of sending funds to the country networks.

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Individual Remittance Processing
P. O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700

Joining Hands Egypt
H000102