Negotiating military checkpoints and the threat of suicide bombers, 400 members of the new Mother's Union group meet each month at St George's Anglican Church in Baghdad.

Now the new group which formed in April 2006 has been linked with Mother's Union (MU) Sydney for specific prayer.

Each day at midday, Mother's Union members " there are 3.7 million across 77 countries in the Anglican Communion - pray for one another in what they call the "wave of prayer.'

"We think it's fantastic and wonderful that there's good news from Iraq," says Mary Coyne, a MU Sydney member who attends Holy Trinity, Wentworth Falls.

She is excited about being able to support MU Baghdad in prayer, as well as sharing each others' struggles and news. 

"You hear so much about the troubles and the traumas," she says.

"But to hear that there are Christian women concerned to meet together in spite of the danger: we think it's wonderful."

As well as Iraq, Sydney is linked with dioceses in England, Sudan and Nigeria.

MU Baghdad grows despite adversity

Even in the face of Iraq's unrest and violence, MU Baghdad has grown from 100 to 400 members since April, and actively organises projects for outreach and income generation.

They hope to visit orphanages and centres for disable adults and children, and are preparing a mothering course.

"We have lots of ideas," says Nawal George, MU leader in Iraq.

"But the situation is very bad in Iraq, we are praying for it to be better."