AFTER another turbulent year in the Middle East and health issues, Canon Andrew White returned home for a brief visit to take Midnight Mass at St Mary’s Church in Bramshott on Christmas Eve.

The former vicar of Baghdad had to leave his beloved St George’s Church in the Iraqi capital in November 2014 after the rise of so-called Islamic State and has since helped to set up a school in Amman for refugee children.

In the autumn he formed the new Andrew White Reconciliation International Foundation, which is aiming to help persecuted people in places like Pakistan, the Middle East and across the world, both politically and religiously. Here is his New Year message:

"As a major reconciliation ministry we are reassessing our hopes and challenges in the coming year.

The heart of our ministry continues to love and serve those who are persecuted because of their love of the Almighty.

For many years this focus has been exclusively in the Middle East.

After helping to launch the Jerusalem International School of Reconciliation (JISR) last year, which provides a platform for religious leaders of Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith to come and work together, I was based in Jordan continuing with my work in assisting displaced refugees.

This year I want to expand beyond those boundaries.

I don’t just want to expand our ministry into Pakistan and India but also take our ministry to other places to encourage the believers there to stand with the persecuted church.

High on my agenda this year is Hong Kong, Finland and Ulster, the USA and Canada. I am also planning to make my first visits to Australia and New Zealand.

While the medics may be saying I am too ill to work, I know I have my limitations but I am not going to stop.

Though I realise I may not be able to do all I used to - I know that God has not finished with me yet.

Fundamental to my work is my love of Israel and members of the PNA, the love of Jews and Arabs both Christians and Muslims.

Teaching people why this is so essential is also our work.

Wherever I go I want to demonstrate this.

Whenever I say this people complain and say ‘how can you love Israel, how can you love the evil Palestinians?’.

Well I really do love and respect them all and so does God.

So this year I just try to do the work of Ha Shem my Lord and my God. That is why we will continue doing our unique work of bringing together Israeli and Iraqi religious leaders.

There is so much exciting work to continue to do this year. And I will continue to do my most favourite thing of baptising people in the River Jordan.

Our key work remains to support our Iraqi refugees in Jordan as well as running our wonderful school and clinic in Amman and caring for those who have lost everything.

We may not have any resources to do this, but we know that when we have lost everything Jesus is all we have left and he is everything.”